The Bewitchment of James Potter
by Luna-Elentari
Summary: Year 7 was the best of James' life - Head Boy, Quidditch Captain, and finally, the girlfriend of his dreams - until Lily leaves, turning down his marriage proposal. Three years later, opportunity knocks again.
1. Yesterday

DISCLAIMER: I wish I owned it. I'd be rich, not to mention really cool if I did...

A/N: I love all of you who've been reading this story! I'm so, so sorry it's taken me so long to update it.. To those of you who are just joining in, let me say something about the first chapter - it's more of a prologue, an introduction - the rest of the fic is very different! So I encourage you to read the second chapter before making up your mind about the fic :)

W/o further ado:

* * *

**THE BEWITCHMENT OF JAMES POTTER**

**Chapter 1: Yesterday  
**

* * *

A petite teenage girl concealed in a long dark cloak stood on the empty outdoor platform of Hogsmeade Train Station. It was barely past dawn on a dreary Sunday morning; a low chugging in the distance announced a train's upcoming arrival.

Without warning, the grey sky opened and a cold drizzle covered the wooden tracks.

"Great," the girl murmured sarcastically, glaring at the heavy clouds as she pulled her hood lower on her face. She shivered, feeling the cold water begin to make its way through her layers.

_I should have worn a thicker cloak_, she reprimanded herself silently, hoping that the train she was waiting for would arrive soon.

As if the conductor had heard her thoughts, with clouds of steam and a loud grinding of breaks, the Hogwarts Express announced its arrival.

"That's my cue," she said in a low voice to no one. She tried to lift her heavy trunk, wishing fervently that she were seventeen already and legally able to levitate the cursed thing. As she struggled, a lock of auburn hair became loose and fell across her face.

"Lily!" cried a male voice, one that she identified immediately, from the far end of the tracks. It was the very last voice she wanted to hear.

Resignedly, she looked up to see a tall, raven-haired boy running towards her, his robes flapping wetly behind him, broomstick in hand. He rushed right up before her, a look of profound concern evident in his warm hazel eyes. She turned her head away so that the boy couldn't see the tears forming in her eyes.

"Lily?" repeated James Potter, grabbing her shoulder. "Look at me."

Lily Evans reluctantly turned back to face her boyfriend, but kept her head down, partially concealing her face.

James fingered the top of her cloak. "May I?" he asked softly and gently pushed the hood off her head, revealing shoulder-length dark red hair that fell in unkempt waves, the dark red colour contrasting with her pale skin. He brushed the loose tendrils behind her ears and looked in to her eyes, pained to see that her striking emerald-green eyes were bloodshot and underlined by hollow circles.

Despite this, Lily was still the most beautiful and the most wonderful girl James had ever met, and it wrenched his heart to see her like this, haunted by a grief that she refused to share with him. He tossed his broomstick aside, and gently wrapped his arms around her slender form, his body blocking her from the wind and his height protecting her from the rain.

"I'm really, really sorry about your parents, Lily," he whispered directly into her ears, almost too softly to hear, "I want to be here for you."

James sensed her tremble, and held her even closer, waiting.

Lily's mind was racing; she still could not fully comprehend the intensity of her emotions for him. Their relationship had blossomed unexpectedly at the beginning of their seventh school year, when Lily was shocked to discover that she had a crush on the boy she had once called an arrogant toe-rag.

The events of the past year raced through Lily's mind. The first time she had noticed that James Potter had grown up and was mortified to realise he set her heart racing. The first moment their eyes had locked and she had known she would not be able to resist him. Their first kiss at the steps of the Great Hall, which was interrupted by Sirius Black, as usual. Lazy afternoons spent by the Hogwarts lake. Shameless flirting instead of studying at the library. Their nights in the Head Boy and Girl's study...

They had fallen for each other and had become inseparable, much to the frustration of some of their friends (principally Sirius, who had been dismayed that his partner in crime had developed a new interest that didn't include him) and irritation of some of their teachers (primarily Professor McGonagall, the Head of their House who had frequently caught them committing what she termed 'public indecency' in empty classrooms). No longer Potter and Evans, Head Boy and Head Girl, they had become 'James and Lily'.

And then, in one instant, Lily's life had changed forever.

The news of her parents' sudden deaths two weeks prior had left behind a shadow of her former self. As she was estranged from her sister, James had been her sole comfort, doing surprisingly well for a boy who had previously been rather petrified by crying girls. He had gone home with her to attend the funeral, had held her while she cried, had soothed her as best he could. Lily felt she could not possibly express how much he had come to mean to her, and how much she would miss him.

"How did you find out I was leaving?" she managed to ask. "I was trying to avoid that, you know."

"How do I always find out?"

"I'm seriously going to kill your best friend one day."

"Sirius would deserve it," said James, smiling grimly, then stooped lower so that she had to look into his eyes.

"I just couldn't tell you," she said finally, "because then I'd have to say goodbye."

James tightened his arms around her. During his broomstick flight to the station, he had told himself he was just coming to help and bid her farewell. But in that moment, his fingers brushing past her soft hair, he knew he had lied to himself. He knew he could not let her go, not so easily.

"You don't have to leave," he murmured softly, "let me help you."

Lily recoiled as if slapped, and tried to push James away. "They're dead. Nothing can help."

Reluctantly, James' arms let her go. Lily watched his expression became impossibly somber, the embers of his eyes dimming. "Please, Lily... I just don't know what to say."

"We've talked about this before - there's nothing _to_ say," she said, turning away in anguish, glancing at the waiting train.

"Lily, I..." James began, reaching out for her once more.

"What?" she snapped, then hated herself for doing so.

James' voice faltered. "I... I just don't understand. Why d'you have to leave England? Can't you just stay here with us?"

Lily's eyes dropped, unable to meet his gaze. "James we've been through this..."

"No, we haven't," he said, cutting her off gently. "Not really. You mentioned that you wanted to leave, but I didn't realize you were serious. And I-" he paused to swallow the knot that was forming in his throat, "I thought I could give you a reason to stay."

The usually proud, borderline arrogant boy's cheeks flushed in embarrassment, belying his vulnerability when it came to her.

Lily softened slightly, wanting nothing more than to surrender to him, but knowing that she couldn't.

"James, I need to get my life back together... I can't stay here in Britain," she replied, her eyes wide, pleading for him to understand, to fully comprehend her need to get away. "Everything reminds me of them, everything reminds me that they're gone."

"But why do you have to leave now? There's only three months left till the Right of Passing Feast!"

"Please, don't make this any harder than it is," said Lily, avoiding his eyes once more. "I have no family here anymore... well, other than _Petunia_, so basically none. I was offered a full scholarship to finish the next few months at Beauxbatons, Dumbledore arranged it, and then I can stay on in France - they guaranteed me an internship upon completion."

James nudged at his reddening eyes. "I'm going to miss you."

"I know," she answered quietly, brushing away the tears that were now sliding down her cheeks.

"No, you don't. You have no idea how much," he said, his eyes narrowing.

"Of course I do," she said, shivering as she felt the rain water trickle down her back. "I'm going to miss you too."

"Damn it, you're getting wet." Without hesitating, James undid the fastenings of his cloak and draped it over her shoulders.

Lily immediately struggled to remove the cloak. "It's really sweet of you, but my train is leaving soon anyway..." her voice trailed off as James firmly fixed the clasp. "James, really, I don't need-"

"Keep it," he said hoarsely.

Lily eyed the gold fastenings. "James, it must have cost a for- "

"Keep it," he repeated with more force.

Lily knew it was pointless to refuse. She watched as a tear rolled down his cheek, and felt immediate guilt for the hurt she was causing him.

_James is anything but a crybaby._

James immediately raised a hand to brush the tear off, but Lily caught the hand before he could do so. Their eyes locked.

She stared into the depths of his hazel eyes, and he could not have ripped his eyes from hers.

"Oh James, it's not like I'm the only one leaving!" said Lily, breaking the silence.

"I'm going away to the Auror Academy up north. You're going to different country."

"It's only for a few years," began Lily, and then froze.

_Years._ The word hit Lily right in the heart. _Can I live for years alone without my friends here? And James... I despised him for so long - Merlin, was he an arse - but then I realised he had changed, I had changed, and now... now I know I'm in love with him. I haven't told him that I feel this strongly for him, but I can't possibly tell him the truth, not now that I'm leaving, not now that I'm willingly going to walk away from him.  
_

_Years_. James' mind reeled at the very thought._ How can I allow that to happen? I'd resented her for the first few years I knew her, for hanging out with Snivellus, sure, outsmarting me in lessons, of course, but more than anything for disliking me! I just couldn't help making an arse of myself when she was around... but this year was incredible; she finally liked me back! We became so close. How can I possibly spend years apart from her? _

The train whistled loudly for the second time.

"I really have to go now." Lily tried to pick up her trunk again. James, always the gentleman, brushed her aside. "Don't be ridiculous," he said gruffly, easily hoisting the trunk up to his shoulder. They walked across the damp platform to the train together, and he loaded it into the baggage compartment. "Are you sure you have everything?"

Lily looked at him, and something stirred up inside her. "No, not everything."

"What's that? What are you missing?" asked James, puzzled at how calm she looked.

"You."

James heart began to pound, daring to hope. "W-What?"

"I'm in love with you, James," she said, her voice catching. "D'you know that?"

James immediately reached out for her once more, his lips pressing on her head. "Please, please stay here with me," his voice pleaded, "Stay here with me."

Lily buried her face in his chest, her forehead resting below his shoulder, the way she had many times during the year. As she inhaled his familiar scent, she thought of the many times when she had been held here. "I can't," she repeated, mumbling into the robes.

"You can!"

"How can I?" she whispered miserably. "There's nothing for me here."

James moved her away from the hug and held her at arm's length. He traced her damp cheek with his index finger tenderly, and made a decision he knew he would never regret.

"Marry me," he whispered, barely above the sound of the wind.

"_What__!_" gasped Lily, her eyes widening in pure shock.

James blushed, the boyish blush that was cute and so _James_ at the same time."Look, I know we're very young - okay, so we're ridiculously young! And yes, I realize we have no idea what will happen in the future. But I know how I feel about you, and it's never going to go away. If you feel the same way about me, I don't care about anything else, as long as I'm holding you... Lily, think about how amazing it could be. Will you, please, marry me?"

Lily felt that her feet had frozen to the ground.

It seemed like all her dreams could come true. James, her boyfriend, the boy she loved, had proposed to marry her.

_It's James, say yes, say YES! _her heart screamed.

But Lily was Lily, and she listened to her brain, not her heart. "James, we're just too young for this," she said, dropping her eyes. "You can't mean it."

"Don't I?" James said, his eyes boring holes into Lily's. "I have wanted to say it ever since I realized that I'm in love with you."He drew a deep breath and decided to say everything he had meant to say. "I didn't think love was even _possible_, I always thought it only existed in those silly romance books you witches read. And once I realised you were it for me - I was about thirteen, mind you - I got really scared and decided that I didn't _want_ to love you, so I tried so hard not to! I denied it to myself, I denied it to my friends... But now, the only thing I care about is you and being with you." James took a deep breath. "I want to marry you, Lily, and quite frankly, I've been considering the idea for the past couple of months."

Lily forced herself away from his arms, feeling her heart break as she did so. "James, I... I can't marry you."

She felt her soul wrench when she saw more tears on his cheek.

He drew his breath in slowly. "Why not?" he said, crouching to be at her eye level, hoping to let her see into his soul.

She turned slightly, and instead kissed his cheek, softly, slowly, lingering on his skin. "Goodbye James."

James felt his heart rip, his cheek stinging where her lips had been.

She straightened her shoulders and wiped the tears off her cheeks with the sleeve of her robes. Her vision blurry, she headed toward the train, and unthinkingly choose a window seat. She looked out, and saw James still standing on the platform, his tall muscular build hunched over in defeat.

His lips were moving, and Lily saw something white fluttered out of his hand. It soared right towards her, pausing at the rain-speckled window. She quickly slid it open, and the object drifted onto her lap. She looked down, and saw a flower - a simple, beautiful white lily.

Her fingers brushed the droplets off of it, and found a note pinned to the stem. She unfolded it, her hands trembling slightly; she had to read it twice before the words made sense.

* * *

**_I love you. Just You. _**

* * *

She leaned out of the open window. "James!"

He straightened up and saw Lily's hair flying out in the brisk wind. He hurried towards her.

She reached her hand out, and James tried to touch it, but they only brushed each other by as the train had started up. "Promise you won't come find me!"

James face contorted in a mix of anguish and sorrow. "_What?_"

The train began to move forward slowly, separating them.

"I'll promise you anything! But please don't leave!" he yelled, running beside the tracks, catching up to Lily's window.

The train picked up speed, and the distance between them widened.

"Lily!"

James came panting to a halt.

Lily looked behind and caught a glimpse of James standing on very end of the ever-shrinking tracks, staring after her, his body getting smaller and smaller until he was just a small dark figure in the distance. The train rounded a corner, and he disappeared from her view entirely.

* * *

"Lily..."

James stayed where he was at the end of the platform, the wind now blowing so hard his robes were billowing around behind him, the rain stinging his eyes.

He bent his head.

_Let her be safe. Let me see her again._

Even though he was shivering in his robes, soaked through and his warm cloak now gone, he remained there at the train station, staring at the horizon.

"James!"

James, knowing the voice all too well, spun around to glare at the person who had dared to intrude on his thoughts.

A tall dark figure with long black hair wearing Hogwarts robes was standing next to him.

"Prongs, you damn fool," hissed Sirius, "what the hell are you doing out here in the bloody rain?"

James ignored him, and walked away towards the direction from in which the train had disappeared.

However, Sirius wasn't about to let James ignore him. He strode up to his best friend and gave him a light shove. "She's left already, and there's nothing you can do about it! We should go back to the castle."

Rainwater was dripping freely down James' nose. "Leave me alone," he snapped, setting his jaw as he attempted to walk away.

Sirius grabbed James's shoulder. "Look, I'm just trying to help."

James turned to face Sirius.

Black could barely recognise his best friend's face. He looked so hurt and vulnerable that Sirius, for once, was at a loss for words.

"Look at me, Padfoot. I need her."

"I know you love her."

"And no doubt, you've also seen and heard enough about it just now," said James, narrowing his eyes in anger as he noticed _his_ Invisibility Cloak peeking out of Sirius' pocket.

"Bloody hell, it makes no difference. She's gone."

James began storming away from him.

Again, Sirius grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back. "You have to face the facts and focus on this summer. You, me, the Auror Academy, remember? The one thing you've always wanted?"

"I don't care!" shouted James, pushing Sirius away. "Damn it, don't you understand? I don't want it anymore! I want _her_."

"Well, she's the one thing you can't have. It's over."

Without pausing to think, James punched Sirius on the jawbone. Hard.

Sirius staggered back, a look of shock on his face. "You can hit me all you want-" he paused to spit out some blood, "-but that won't bring her back!"

"I know that."

Sirius looked at James as he gingerly touched his injury. "Then pull it together."

"Leave me alone, mate."

"You're already alone enough."

James looked up at Sirius, and his expression was so full of despair that Sirius cursed himself for saying it.

"I love her."

Sirius reached out, and this time he was not pushed away. He pulled James into a hug. "I know, mate."

"I love her."

* * *

**THREE YEARS LATER**

* * *

It was midnight on a cool February night in Surrey, England.

Special Auror James Potter sat up in his king-sized bed, waking up with a cold sweat. He had just had to relive the worst day of his life in his dreams.

"James?"

James looked to his left. Stretched out on the bed, dressed only in her thin black slip, was Jinah Chang.

_My girlfriend._

"Sorry, did I wake you?" asked James, sliding his feet out the bed to stand up. He bent down, picked up his deep red nightshirt off the floor, and pulled it over his head.

"Don't worry about it," answered Jinah softly. She yawned and stretched, her long jet black hair shimmering over the pillow. "Was it The Dream again?"

James pushed aside the feeling of irritation that crept over him. James had never told Jinah what was in his dream, and so, she just wrote it off as The Dream, an annoying little "phase" he underwent every so often.

_Little does she know._

"Yeah. How did you know?" he asked, standing up in the dim light.

Jinah sat up and gave James a fixed look. "Whenever you have it, you wake up panting and all sweaty. Sometimes you cry out."

James bumped his shin on the corner of the bed. "I talk in my sleep?"

"Only one or two words, usually."

"Which are?"

"'Lily' or 'No'." James, why do you have nightmares about flowers?"

A slight tremor ran down his back. "Oh, they're nothing, really," he said; one of the first things James had been trained to do was lie. "I'm just allergic."

_Okay, so that wasn't my best effort..._

"Well, it's over now. Why don't you come lie down and relax?" suggested Jinah lazily, patting the spot next to her.

James shook his head. "No, I won't be able to sleep for a while. I think I'll just go sit out on the balcony."

"Want company?" she said, curving her spine upward off the bed suggestively, her curves set off by the moonlight.

"No." His tone was cold and final.

"Oh, okay," said Jinah, giving him a hurt look, as she turned back to the bed.

James immediately felt guilty. "Hey, give me a kiss," he said, putting his arms around her waist from behind her. She turned, smiling at him.

"Hmm, I don't know James... a kiss? Sounds too expensive."

He tightened his grip around her waist and pulled her close to him. "I can afford it." He kissed her roughly and briefly.

"Mmm," she protested as he pulled away.

James turned wordlessly and opened the French doors that led out to the balcony of his room. He breathed in the crisp night air and looked out to the sleepy country landscape.

_Where are you now?_

As per her request, James hadn't followed Lily to France. He had been tempted to, but Sirius, Remus, Peter, and anyone else he had mentioned it to had been against it. He knew it couldn't be too difficult to find her – he knew she was working at the French Ministry of Magic; he even knew what department. He had many friends in France; he even went there often. But he did not seek her out.

And so he had neither seen her, nor heard from her, except for on three occasions.

When he had finished training at the Academy, and became a fully accredited Auror, he had received an letter from Lily. The familiar yet long unseen handwriting had made him yearn for her all over again.

* * *

**_James,_**

**_Congratulations!_**

**_Not only for graduating, but also for the High Honours. __I am so happy for you!_**

**_All is well here.  
_**

**_-Lily_**

* * *

It taken every bit of strength and resolve James had to restrain himself from going to her immediately.

But he had made a promise.

She wrote him two more times afterward - letters of condolence, first for his mother's and then for his father's passing. They had been difficult times, but he had been prepared for them.

And yet... there was a certain loneliness, exacerbated by the solitude of being an only child.

He knew that, of anyone, she could fully understand what it was like to feel alone.

Beyond that, he simply missed _her. _Still.

James stared out at the sickle moon, his hands gripping the cold railing.

_Lily._


	2. Baby's in Black

DISCLAIMER: None of it's mine, je suis désolé.

A/N: WOW! I was absolutely staggered at the amount of reviews I got for the first chapter! I swear, I did the happy dance as soon as I saw that! Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed!

Okay, just on a side note... I did research about France, the cities, castles, government, etc, so most of that stuff is true. Well, not the part about magic. Alas.

Be kind, review!

* * *

**THE BEWITCHMENT OF JAMES POTTER**

**Chapter 2: Baby's in Black**

* * *

On that same night, a dark figure arrived at an apartment in a posh building on Avenue de la Bourdonnais in Paris, France.

Lily fiddled with her keys, and entered the front hall of her loft-style apartment. After depositing her keys in the silver tray by the entrance, she hung up her purse and cloak, and glanced in the hall mirror. She sighed, noticing the dark circles under her green eyes. It had been another exhausting day at Le Ministère.

"_Ma chérie, c'est terrible!_" the mirror cried at her.

"Always a pleasure to come home to you," Lily murmured, then entered the dark living room.

_Ah...__ scummy, mindless TV._.. then a bite to eat... and then some hard-earned sheep.

She kicked off her shoes as she made her way in the darkness, not bothering to turn on the light. Eyes not yet adjusted to the dark, Lily slammed her left shin on a low coffee table.

"Bugger!" she cried, she hopping around on her other foot so she could rub the sore one.

Unfortunately, there was a magazine lying on the carpet. Lily skidded on its glossy cover and toppled backwards, landing into the sofa right behind her.

Most unfortunately, there was a person already seated on it, and she had landed on his lap.

And that person immediately began laughing.

Without pausing to think, Lily elbowed that person hard in the gut, abruptly ending the laughter. She sprang up, pulling out her wand. "Who are you?" she demanded, brandishing it in the stranger's face. "_Lumus!"_

The light that appeared at the end of her wand cast shadows all across the room and revealed the familiar face of the handsome dark-haired man seated in front of her.

Lily stared at him in disbelief. _"Black?"_

"The one and only. Miss me at all, Red?" asked Sirius, batting the long, think eyelashes that had entranced many a Hogwarts female. He clearly had been stretched out on the sofa as if he owned the place.

Lily just stared at him, mouth agape. She was too shocked to even react to his use of the nickname she most loathed. _My hair is auburn, damn it._

"Would you mind pointing that thing somewhere else?" he requested, eyeing her uneasily. "_Anywhere_ else, in fact?"

Lily glanced down at her wand; it was aimed right at his crotch.

Blushing immediately, she lowered it, but didn't put it away. "What are you doing here?" she demanded, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"Is that any way to receive an old friend?" he called, standing up and spreading his arms to hug her.

Lily ducked under his outstretched limbs and stalked out of the living room into the adjacent kitchen. "Old friend!" she exclaimed as she poured herself a tall, cold glass of water. "If we're 'old friends', what do you call Severus Snape? Your close confidant?"

"Please tell me you're not still sore about the Hogwarts days," said Sirius as he walked over and sat on a stool on the other side of the kitchen counter."

Lily snorted, as delicately as a woman can. "Still sore? I'm still pissed! Second year, you hexed my robes to call out 'Good Morning Buttercake!' whenever Professor Flitwick walked by!"

Sirius coughed to cover a laugh. "I thought that was your nickname for him?"

"Or like in fourth year, when you transfigured my homework in to a dog - the only zero I ever got!"

"You should have said 'But Professor McGonagall, the dog _is_ my homework!'" exclaimed Sirius, grinning triumphantly. "A twist on an old classic, get it?"

Lily threw up her hands in frustration. "Or in _fifth_ year, when you charmed Severus into serenading me with 'The Way You Look Tonight' by Sinatra during the Halloween Ball!"

"It's not _my _fault that the slimeball can't sing to save his life."

"He was on _bended knee_. In front of the _whole school!_"

"Touching moment, no?"

Lily slammed a glass on the counter top. "Stop it! Would you like something to drink?"

"What do you have?" returned Sirius, interested.

"Nothing poisonous enough for the liver to be your fancy."

"Water's fine," he said, raising an eyebrow. "And as much as I would like to bicker and have 'remember whens,' I came here with more important things to discuss."

"What, the fastest way to seduce the knickers off a girl?"

Sirius gave her a straight look. "First of all, I already know how to do that. Secondly, I'd hardly come to _you_, would I?"

"Hmmm," Lily paused and faked a pondering look. "Nope, you're right, you'd find the dumbest girl in the general vicinity." She placed a glass of water in front of him.

"Look, Red, I'm being serious here." Sirius swallowed down the water in one large gulp. "I'm here on Ministry business."

"Stop calling me 'Red.'" Lily took the glass from him and refilled it from the pitcher. "Whose Ministry? Mine or yours?"

"Both actually."

Lily raised an eyebrow at him, disbelieving. "Then why didn't you just schedule a meeting?" she asked, selecting an apple from the fruit basket and handing him a banana.

"I despise meetings. The official kind anyway. Almost as much as I dislike _bananas_," he said, delicately curling his upper lip in disgust.

"You should eat more fruit." Lily rolled her eyes for the fifth time that evening. "They're good for potassium and fiber."

"When we're done discussing my fiber needs, could we please get on to what I came here for?"

"Which is?"

"Minister Le Vau's trip to London tomorrow."

"What about it?"

"Well, it's not exactly what you'd call _safe_ in London right now," he said patronizingly.

"Is it safe anywhere in Europe right now?" shot back Lily impatiently. "The Giants are revolting in the Scottish Highlands, the Dementors of Azkaban _and_ the Dementors of Château d'Iste are threatening to quit, all in addition to the supposedly unrelated Muggle killings that have taken place throughout the continent... it's not safe anywhere, and Ministre Le Vau is meeting Bagnold to see if they can both come up with a solution. I assure you Sirius; this cannot be cancelled!"

"I'm not telling you to cancel, but why not make the trip safer for all those involved?"

"Oh wait - I have an brilliant idea! I'll send _you_," said Lily, laughing sarcastically. "_You_ can go to the Welcoming Ball, and once everyone hears about the _great_, the _dreaded_ Sirius Black being there, no bad guys will dare show up!"

Sirius emitted a low growl. "Look, if you're just going to annoy the hell out of me, then maybe I'll just go to your bloody superior."

Lily stopped laughing and fixed him with a level look. "Go ahead. I doubt the fool knows much about anything. By all means, go ahead and waste your time."

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Okay, but will you hear me out about the plan?"

"You have an actual plan, then?" She sighed and gave in. "Well, there's really not much I can do from here. Why don't you give me a few minutes to shower and change, and then we can both go to the ministry together?"

Sirius nodded, and with that, Lily was out of the kitchen and in her bedroom, flicking on the lights before she did anything else.

_So much for a bite to eat and some sleep... _Lily thought wearily as she peeled off her robes and underclothes. She stepped into the shower, and allowed her body to enjoy the warm spray that both refreshed and awakened her. After whispering a Drying Spell, she dressed in a fresh set of simple, yet distinguishing black robes, and pulled her hair up into a loose chignon.

"Ok, let's go," she said, walking back into the living room.

Sirius was walking around the room, examining it. "These were your parents?" he said, pointing at a picture of a middle-aged couple, hugging two young girls.

She nodded, her lips tightening.

"I forgot you had a sister."

"Petunia."

He looked at her questioningly.

"She's alive and well, don't worry. Engaged, actually, last I heard," said Lily, pinning her government identification to the front of her robes.

"Is she a Squib?"

"No, a Muggle. The kind that despises anyone magical."

Sirius looked like he didn't know what to say.

"Anyway," she said, finally ready, "We'd better get going."

"Right," said Sirius, and looked around the room. "You don't seem to have a fireplace?"

"No, no." Lily shook her head, thinking. "We're not going by Floo."

"Why not?"

"The French Floo Networks aren't secure at all anymore; they haven't been for a few months. Several people were kidnapped when Dark wizards tapped into the Network, so Le Ministère disabled them last week."

Sirius gave a low whistle. "So then we're Apparating?"

"We could, but I some need time to unwind. We're driving."

Sirius looked at her, shocked. "As in an automobile?"

"Call it a car, or you'll sound like you belong in the 1910s."

"Fine, a_ car_. We're going in one of those?"

"Do you know a better way to drive?" she asked, picking up her keys from the tray.

"James and I... er... 'borrowed' a motrokyle from some Muggles once."

"_Motorcycle_," she corrected automatically, shaking her head at the horrible thought of them joyriding on a stolen bike. "Really, would it have killed you to take Muggle Studies?"

She took her purse, and as soon as Sirius had helped her into her cloak (much to her dismay, although she could not very well resist), they left her apartment.

They headed down the stairs and she led him to the building's parking garage. "This is it," she said, walking past several models and indicating one. "This year's Alpha Romeo," she said, smiling proudly.

"Whoa! Hey, this one's kind of cool!" he said, admiring the sleek black car.

"Cool? I suppose, it's like twenty degrees Celsius."

Sirius sighed patronizingly. "You know. Neat. Awesome. Cool. It's only_ the_ American word to know."

Lily raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"I've hooked up with a few American girls recently," he replied, shrugging nonchalantly.

"Individually or all at once?"

Sirius opened his mouth to answer, but Lily cut him off. "Never mind, I don't want to know. In any case, this car is _very_ cool. When I got promoted, one of the benefits was a car and driver. I asked them straight out for a nice car for myself instead, and, after much shameless begging and pleading, I got my baby."

Lily unlocked her door and got inside, putting her keys in the ignition. Just when she was about to start the engine, she noticed that Sirius hadn't gotten in yet. Rolling her eyes, she climbed back out, walked over to the passenger's side, and opened the door for him. "Get in," she said, indicating the leather interior with an outstretched hand.

He looked at her with the strangest expression on his face, but complied, crouching down awkwardly to get inside. Lily closed the door slowly, sighing. _Wizards._

Lily then walked around to the driver's side and got in. "Put on your safety belt," she ordered, fixing her own belt.

"My what?" he said, a blank look on his face.

"How many times did I tell you to take Muggle Studies?" She reached over him and tugged on the black strap. For some unknown reason, it was stuck. Lily moved over more closely, brushing against his arm.

"Hey, I know I'm good-looking and all, but carrot tops aren't my type-"

Lily elbowed him. Yanking hard, the seatbelt finally came free. "This is a safety belt. You put it on like so." In one swift movement she pulled the seatbelt, let it click, and strapped Sirius in.

"I'm suffocating!" protested Sirius, struggling against the seatbelt.

"You can breathe perfectly well."

As she rolled out onto the street, she turned to Sirius. "Are you nervous, by any chance?"

"Hell no," he replied, mock-yawning. "This belt thing is rather uncomfortable, but, after a broomstick, this is just a small house on wheels, right?"

Slightly offended, she pulled over and pressed a button, which caused the cover on the Alpha Romeo to lower. She laughed at Sirius's shocked face. "It's called a convertible, my dear."

With a squeal of tires, she pulled back out to the street. _House on wheels._

"One thing's still bothering me," said Lily, her eyes on the road as she pulled out onto the highway, the lights of the city of Paris rushing by on either side. "Why were you in my living room, waiting for me? I mean, why in the dark?"

"I wanted to surprise you and see your reaction. Although, never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that you would go weak in the knees and throw yourself into my lap, Red," he said, laughing with his eyes closed, obviously replaying the moment in his mind.

"I did _not_ do anything of the sort! I had _fallen_, and instead of being a gentleman and helping me, you just sat there on your bony excuse for an arse and had a jolly laugh!"

Sirius was laughing too hard to hear her.

Irritated, Lily noticed that there weren't too many cars on the highway. "Laugh at this, Black!"

She pressed her foot down on the gas, sped up, shifted gears, and sped up again.

Sirius yawned again. "After a broomstick dive at over a hundred and fifty miles per hour, this is _nothing_, dear. But then again how would you know, you were too scared to ride a broomstick faster than a _butterfly_."

Lily's only response was the narrowing of her eyes, and her foot getting heavier on the gas pedal.

Sirius's eyes widened. "What are you doing?" His long hair was whipping sharply in the wind.

"Having some fun. Tighten your seatbelt!" she yelled, flooring it. The car streaked down the highway.

"Scared?" she inquired teasingly, noticing that Sirius was paling rapidly.

"Only of this blasted mild carton! I doubt it has any more aerodynamics than a bloody cow!"

"Scientists spend years creating this kind of car. It's safe, I assure you."

"Lily, there's another car right ahead!" yelled Sirius, gripping the edges of his seat.

"I know," she said, a mischievous smile spreading over her face. She slowed down slightly, changed lanes right, and before hitting another car right in front of them on _that_ lane, she swerved right back into the left lane. Noticing no traffic ahead, Lily floored it again, the Alpha Romeo springing forward as if alive, leaving the other two cars in the dust.

"Lily are you insane?" Sirius cried.

"What, did you wet your knickers, Black?" she said, giggling a little as she slowed down. "Never ever insult my car again."

"Crazy woman driver," muttered Sirius out of the corner of his mouth.

"That does it!" Making sure no one was behind her, Lily slammed on the breaks. The car swerved dangerously, but Lily simply went with the swerve, brought it around, made the car straight again, and accelerated. "Acceleration of 0 to 110 kilometres in ten seconds, baby!" she yelled gleefully, as they left the City of Lights behind them.

She glanced over at him, and was quite satisfied to see that Sirius's long hair was still flying around in all directions, partially covering his very pale face.

"Okay okay, I apologize! Just... slow down there, Red," said Sirius hastily.

"_Stop calling me 'Red!'" _

Lily very reluctantly obliged and slowed down a touch. "It's not fun when you're on the receiving end of teasing, is it?"

After driving at the normal speed limit for a few minutes, Lily turned to Sirius. "Bored, Black?"

"No!" he cried hastily. "This is nice. Really."

Lily smirked, and pulled out onto an exit, parking at a service station.

"Is this the Ministry of Magic?" said Sirius, looking down his nose at the simple surroundings.

"Merlin, no - I'm just out of petrol." Noticing Sirius's puzzled look she added, "The thing that makes my car move."

Sirius looked as though about to say something, but closed his mouth instead.

After depositing several francs, Lily filled up the tank. She climbed back in the car, and put the top back up before driving off.

"Right... let's make a deal... no more... fun." Sirius's face was twisted into an ugly grimace.

"Now, where's all your sense of adventure?" asked Lily mockingly.

"I left it at about 250 kilometers per hour ago," replied Sirius shortly, "and since when do _you_ have one?"

"I've always have."

"No, you haven't."

Exasperated, Lily flicked on the radio and began singing along with the lyrics.

Until she noticed the disgruntled look Sirius was giving her. "What? I happen to like American music."

"Meeting American girls is far better – d'you know, it seems they find my accent absolutely enticing?"

Rolling her eyes, she turned it to an opera station. "Don't worry, I won't even attempt to sing this."

"Thank Merlin. I'd jump out of this bloody car - headfirst."

"No one's stopping you."

"Talk about a return to Hogwarts. You haven't changed a bit. Other than the fact that you like driving fast."

"I'll have you know that I've always driven fast!" exclaimed Lily indignantly. "My parents gave me a nice car when I was sixteen." She lowered her voice at the mention of her parents. Being an orphan had not gotten easier with the years. "And I have changed. A lot."

They drove on in silence.

"Here it is. Welcome to Versailles." She pulled into an exit. She turned left, right, right, center, and on until Sirius was thoroughly devoid of any sense of direction. She turned off onto a road lined by perfectly manicured lawns.

"Where are we going, anyway? Where is the French Ministry?"

Lily looked at him surprised. "I thought you were joking earlier when you asked if the petrol station was Le Ministère. Don't tell me the British Ministry sent you here blind, without knowing where you were going?"

"They sent me directions to your place."

Lily mulled it over pensively. "Yes, but that still doesn't explain why you don't know where the it's located."

"It wasn't supposed to be me. They were originally sending someone else."

"Oh really?" She slowed down in case she had to throw Sirius out of her car. "Who was supposed to come?"

"Well, they thought someone with a better name would be good. My family, while acceptably well-reputed," Sirius made a face to show what he thought of their reputation, "isn't as internationally-known as others. They needed someone who had family connections, Honours from the Auror Academy... well, you know how it goes."

Lily perceived that Sirius was tap dancing around answering the question. "A straight answer, Black."

Sirius looked out the window. "They sure have a lot of cows in Versai-"

"Sirius!"

"Fine. I'll tell you."

"Who was it supposed to be? You said it's a he. Edgar Bones? Alastor Moody?"

"None of the above. Think about it - who else _would_ it be? James, of course."

A pregnant pause ensued.

"Watch it!" he cried out, as Lily swerved to avoid hitting a tree.

"I've got it," she muttered crossly. _James was supposed to come..._ she smacked herself on the forehead.

Sirius yelped loudly as Lily narrowly missed a lamppost.

"Lily!"

After a few moments of mutual silence, Lily ventured to ask a question. "So why didn't James come?" she said slowly.

"I thought you were cleverer than to have to ask that question," said Sirius, avoiding her eyes. "The short of it is that he can't come is because of you. He knows that you're working at the French Ministry. I honestly don't know how you and he avoid each other; he's visited Le Ministére once in a while for work and to visit friends."

_I'm not going to tell Sirius that the only times I ever take a holiday is when I know James will be around…_ "Only this time, he'd _have_ to work with me because I'm in charge of this?" surmised Lily.

Sirius nodded. "When Moody, who is now Head of the Auror Department, realized the implications, he sent me instead to make sure nothing... interfered."

Lily gripped the wheel until her knuckles were white. "Nothing would have! I am a professional, and I am sure James is too. He has certainly has accomplished much in a short time. What is he, a Special Auror, Second Class?"

"_I'm_ Second Class. You know perfectly well that James is First Class, as in every aspect of his life." He sneaked a smile. "You've kept tabs on him."

Lily tried to avoid his seeing her slight blush. "Every now and then I hear things about the four of you Marauders. I was sad to hear Remus was not accepted to the Academy, although Pettigrew's failure to pass the final exam came as no surprise."

"And we've heard about you too," continued Sirius politely, "as it's not every day that a ridiculously young witch becomes a senior security analyst in a foreign country."

Lily smiled. Truthfully, she was quite proud of her position. "Yes, well, I mostly coordinate the Minister Le Vau's trips to other countries. I help out a little with intelligence missions, but I generally end up at the office, making sure everything happens according to plan. Unfortunately, that does mean I get stuck with all the paperwork, and I'm hardly ever out in the field."

"Be that as it may, you've done quite well for yourself, Red." He reached over and impertinently pinched her cheek.

"And yet you insist on calling me Red," she said, suppressing the urge to smack him.

"Don't worry, I still call the guys by their pet names whenever I can. You have no idea how much it embarrasses James when he's giving me and his other subordinates the plan for a stake-out and I call him _Thongs_. His ears turn _quite _the interesting colour."

Lily forced a laugh. She kept feeling a pang every time she heard a reference to James. _Stop it Lily, you got over him a long time ago remember?_

"Right, here it is," she said, turning into a drive. "Le Ministère de la Magique has its headquarters here, at le Château de Versailles. These are the gardens, designed by Louis XV, for the enjoyment of his wife. Pity you didn't get to see them during daylight; they are magnificent."

Sirius looked out his window, and, in the moonlight, was able to discern several architectural structures, fountains, and small chapels decorating the sprawling grounds.

"Does the Minister live here?"

"Of course. He and his family live at le Trianon, which is a group of buildings at the back."

"So he's basically treated like a bloody French king?"

"Basically - yes. But he's a really nice man, if a little pompous, and his daughter Madeleine is a good friend of mine."

"Not to mention a childhood friend of James. I've met her – she's hot!"

Ignoring the pang that went through her at the mention of James, Lily turned right, saying, "the other way leads up right to the front of the castle. We're taking a smaller side entrance… Voilà!"

The castle was now in full view. The moon cast a silver glow over it, making it seem to shine from an inner radiance. The château was mirrored in the large crystal reflecting pool in front of it.

Enjoying Sirius's speechless look, Lily grinned. "Wait till you see the _inside_… I cannot believe you've never been here. It's open for Muggle and magical tourism, you know."

"My family wasn't interested in sightseeing," said Sirius, with only a trace of bitterness, "and when James and I travelled, we usually went to more exotic escapes – Cyprus, Egypt, Mexico… Whenever we did come to France, we'd go to his family's vineyards."

She drove around the small roundabout, and stopped in front of a tall man dressed in the castle guard's elaborate light blue and dark purple robes. She got out of the car and smiled warmly at the man. "Bonsoir, Philippe," she said in greeting, and handed him her car keys.

Philippe bowed in response.

Eyeing the wizard's ostentatious robes, Sirius snickered loudly enough to be heard through the glass.

"Is Minister Le Vau here for the night?" Lily asked Philippe in French.

"Yes, I believe 'ee arrived 'ere an hour ago." For some annoying reason, he always insisted in replying to her in English, no matter what language she spoke to him in. "And I believe 'ee is staying at ze Official Residence at ze moment."

"Merci." Glancing down, she realized Sirius was still in the car. "Black, quit playing around! Let's go already."

Sirius tried to get out, but was unable to move. "I assure you, Lily, nothing would please me more than getting out of this blasted contraption!" he snapped, struggling against the seatbelt.

Mildly amused, Lily opened the door, reached across him, and popped the button to release him. Sirius practically rammed into her in his rush to get out.

Philippe looked at Sirius piercingly. "An' 'oo is zis?" he asked Lily, indicating Sirius. Although Philippe was about two heads shorter than Sirius, he still was able to give off the impression that he was looking down his nose at him.

"Mr. Black. Here for business."

"And for pleasure," cut in Sirius, leaning casually against the car.

Philippe gave Lily a concerned look. "What 'oold Monsieur Renoir say abou' zis Monsieur Black?"

"Nothing," said Lily, blushing slightly. "Black's just an old friend from Hogwarts. Anyway, I must be leaving."

Lily started climbing up the old stone steps that led to the door. She looked back, making sure that Philippe was taking her car to be parked, and that Sirius was following her.

"Who's this Monsieur Reindeer fellow?" asked Sirius, dogging her steps.

"It's pronounced Reh-nuah. And he's nobody," said Lily, reddening. "I mean, well, obviously he's somebody, but... oh, it's really none of your business." She kept on walking, and another man, also dressed in the same flamboyant blue and purple robes, rushed to open the doors for them, bowing.

"Nice uniforms," he hissed at Lily as a smirk plastered itself on his face. "I didn't know men still wore tights in France."

"Those are the uniforms of the official guard. I'll have you know that they were designed by Manet himself."

"I though Monet painted water lilies."

"I said M_a_net, not Monet – they're different. Manet was –"

"Spare me the art history lesson."

Lily entered the Great Hall, motioning for Sirius to follow her. "Even you will appreciate this - feast your eyes!" she said, waving her hand around the Hall proudly.

Sirius had a dumbstruck look on his face.

It was all splendour and beauty. The curved and arched ceilings were painted in Renaissance-style to look like a setting sky. Angels poked out from behind the clouds, dancing, their wings gilded. Paintings from the Renaissance and Rococo era were framed in gold, with intricate designs carved into the framing. The walls on which they were displayed were works of arts in their own right - inlaid with a golden leaf pattern. An endless row of stately aureate candelabra provided lighting from above, and the floors were of luxurious Italian marble, in patterns of pine green and ivory.

Lily sneaked a glance at Sirius, and had to cough down a laugh, as he was standing there with his big mouth hanging wide open. The Ministry witched and wizards gave Lily a funny look as they walked in or out of the hall, disappearing behind handsome oak glass-paned doors.

Lily pushed Sirius out of his trance. "Shall we? We've got work to do."

Sirius followed her, nearly ran into a wall when a nude painting of Venus waved at him, revealing even more skin. Lily patiently kept shoving him in the right direction.

Watching his amazed expressions and hearing his astonished exclamations made Lily think of when she had observed the hall's enchantments for the first time. She was only seventeen, a summer intern at the Ministry.

"I can see why you've stayed here," said Sirius, looking up at the ceiling.

Lily nodded toward the ceiling. "_Monet_ did that... and le Ministère enchanted it to make it move. I love this place." Lily turned right into an adjacent corridor, but Sirius, who was still looking up at the ceiling, failed to see her turn. He kept on walking, startled to see a particularly fat little cherub peeking out at him through the golden clouds. He was so distracted, in fact, that he didn't see the witch in front of him until he had ploughed right into her, knocking her to the floor.

"Oh, pardon me! Er - excusez-moi," apologized Sirius, using the little French he knew, and bent over to help the young witch up.

"Pas de problème!" the witch replied, regaining her feet. "No problem – You must be Sirius Black," she said, surprising him with a rolling Scottish accent.

Sirius smiled back at her. The witch was attractive, in her early twenties, with a trim, athletic body. Her hair was chin-length dark chestnut, and she was tall enough that Sirius could see directly into her gray-blue eyes.

"My reputation precedes me," said Sirius, winking at the witch. "What's your name and why don't I know it yet?"

"Marlene McKinnon," said the witch, smiling widely as she extending her hand, "are you alone here?"

Sirius slapped a hand to his forehead, remembering Lily. He looked around, but she was nowhere to be seen. "Travelled alone from Britain, yes, but I _was_ with a friend here..."

"Who is..?"

"Lily Ev-"

"SIRIUS BLACK!"

Sirius winced as he heard his name being yelled and recognized the voice. "How about you and I just... leave? Now? And we run?"

He began walking off, but was intercepted. "Sirius!" cried out Lily, grabbing his shoulder and whirling him around. "I was looking for you! I leave you alone for one second, and – oh hi, Marlene," she paused, noticing her best friend, but then continued on her rant. "Ugh, this _is _just like at Hogwarts... I leave you alone for two seconds and suddenly you're unsurprisingly with a _girl_ -"

Marlene cut Lily off. "It's quite alright, Lily. He ran into me before he could get into any trouble."

"Have you two met? Sirius, this is Marlene McKinnon, one of the resident Potion Masters. Marlene, this is-"

"We've just introduced ourselves," said Marlene, smiling broadly.

"Well, in that case, we should go," said Lily, grabbing Sirius's arm, "as we have a lot to do." She tugged him towards her office, but Sirius was too strong.

"Aw, Red, but there's so much beauty to be enjoyed here!" said Sirius mournfully, looking around the room, and then winking right at Marlene. "How about we meet sometime... for a drink or three?"

Before Marlene could answer, Lily took out her wand and pointed it at Sirius. "Don't make me _Levitate_ you!"

Sirius held up his hands in mock surrender. "Okay, okay!"

"Wait a sec, Lily," said Marlene, "I received an owl from Caradoc Dearborn an hour ago, British Ministry witch, remember her? She said that a British wizard would be coming as well, but I don't think it was Sirius. And then Margeaux from down the hall told me that he's arrived and is waiting for you in your office."

Lily's heart began to pound. "Do you know who?" she asked in a squeaky voice, turning to Sirius.

"No idea."

Lily smoothed her hair and straightened her robes.

"Oh, and Lily, you know who else is looking for you?" said Marlene, smiling mischievously.

Lily's eyes widened with a slight panic. "No, Marlene, tell me later -"

"Edouard Renoir! He wanted to see you before he left for London to secure the Minister's arrival, but you had just left!"

"_Again_ with the Reindeer creature?" inquired Sirius smirking, "gosh Red, he must be someone important to you."

"We'll talk about this later, " hissed Lily to Marlene hastily. "Let's _go_," she said, shoving Sirius.

Sirius turned back to Marlene and blew her a kiss. "See you!"

"Keep it in your pants," said Lily crossly, pushing him again. "I forbid you to see her."

"So, Red, do tell me," he said, changing the subject. "Who's this Reindeer bloke? Pardon, I mean Reh-_nuah_. That was the second time his name has come up in like, three minutes."

Lily quickened her pace as they stalked down the Hall but remained wordless.

Giving up, Sirius quietly followed Lily as she turned onto the adjacent right corridor, identified as le Ministère de la Securité Internationale by a side sign.

Lily entered, Sirius right behind her, and passed the many modern-looking, small cubicles. She stopped at a desk that was in front of a huge window that showed a great view of the grounds during the day. "Madam Berot?" she said addressing the tiny witch that sat behing the desk. Sylvie Berot was slightly overweight and probably in her mid forties, and had been Lily's secretary ever since Lily became a full-time employee.

"Ms. Evans! What can I do for you?" the secretary said in rapid French.

"I have some issues I need to resolve before the Minister's trip. Could you please provide me with a copy of the Minister's updated itinerary?"

Sylvie bowed. "Oui."

Lily nodded her approval, and walked up to the window, and then realized she was alone. "Sirius!" she hissed.

Sirius was leaning in the doorway of a nearby cubicle, obviously flirting with one of the security analysts. "Oh yeah, be right there, Red." He scribbled something on a piece of parchment and slipped it inside his pocket as he walked over to Lily. His grin recalled the Cheshire cat. "You called?"

"I forbid you to write to her," said Lily, glaring at him.

"Can't see Marlene, Can't write to this girl... is there anyone I _can_ date?"

"How about those American girls you were so keen on?"

"They're in love with my accent, so all they want to do is hear me talk, not... you know. Now these French girls on the other hand... let's just say there's a reason they call it French kissing!"

"I don't want to hear any of that, it's disturbing," hissed Lily, shoving him in the right direction again. "I'm supposed to be catching up on precious sleep right now, so could you please just focus? Come into my office."

_I want to see who is inside of it already!  
_

She indicated the door next to Sylvie's desk, her hand shaking perceptibly as she reached for the handle.

For the second time that night, there was a man already in it. A wizard, to be exact.

Another wizard that Lily hadn't seen in three years.

* * *

**A/N:**Thanks for all the reviews, they really are what keeps me writing this!


	3. Across the Universe

DISCLAMER: nada, zilch, nothing that you recognize is mine. Everything is JK Rowling's.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE REVIEWS!

* * *

**THE BEWITCHMENT OF JAMES POTTER**

**Chapter 3: Across the Universe  
**

* * *

Lily gaped at the wizard that was standing in her office.

"Hello Ms. Evans."

"Professor Dumbledore?" she inquired, taking in the tall, thin, and very old wizard with surprise bordering on astonishment.

"How pleasant it is to see you." Dumbledore's blue eyes twinkled from behind his glasses, his hair and beard white as snow. "I took the liberty of Apparating directly into your office. I hope you can forgive the necessary intrusion."

Lily walked over to her large desk and sat down in her desk, breathing heavily.

_Something very weird is going on here. I haven't heard from any of these people, and suddenly, Sirius is in my living room, James was _supposed_ to come, and Dumbledore appears in my office.  
_

She looked up at Dumbledore and noticed he was standing, and that Sirius was still lurking by the doorway. "Sirius, for Merlin's sake, come in, and close the door behind you. Sit. Professor, please take a seat," she said, indicating the two chairs before her desk. "Headmaster…" She paused. _I haven't said that in years. And certainly not from this side of the desk._ Resisting the urge to smile, she continued. "Sir, what I don't understand is how you Apparated in directly in here, there are many Shield Charms..."

Dumbledore bowed, "My compliments to you, Lily, they were of the hardest, and most cleverly designed ones I have ever had the pleasure to challenge. Charms was always your top subject."

Lily paused. "Apparently, it _was_."

Sirius grinned, "A blow to your pride, Red?"

She glared at him. "Shut it, Black. _And stop calling me 'Red_.'"

"If you can call me Black, I can call you Red."

"It's your last name! That's the dumbest -"

Dumbledore sighed, audibly and elegantly. "I had entertained a now fleeting hope that your interactions had changed. Alas! I do offer my sincerest apologies for the intrusion. I simply wished to avoid advertising my arrival."

"Apology accepted. Anyway, to what do I owe the honor of your visit?" She looked at Sirius, and continued. "Of course, assuming that you are both here for a common purpose."

"Indeed," confirmed Dumbledore, interlacing his fingertips, "to ensure safety during the meetings of the Heads of Magic."

Sirius gave Dumbledore a dumbfounded look. "I wasn't told that you would be coming here about that also."

Dumbledore's wise blue eyes twinkled slightly. "Shortly after your departure, Alastor Moody had second thoughts about sending you here alone."

"_What_?" cried out Sirius, visibly irritated.

"A blow to your pride, _Black_?" Lily said, a big grin on her face.

Sirius glared at her.

"Look," she said, sorting some of the parchments that had piled on her desk in her absence, "let's just prove we are mature and professional, and get this over with. You said you wanted to increase security at the Ball. What's your proposal?"

Sirius leaned forward, resting his hands on the edge of the desk. "We want to add an undercover Auror."

Lily pulled a Muggle binder from her right desk drawer. "I have the current details organized here. I believe we already have a sufficient amount of undercover Aurors-"

"We want to add someone else to the High Table at the Ball."

Lily shook her head. "No, that really won't be necessary-"

"Listen to me for one minute. We want to add an Auror to the High Table. But here's the beauty of it: the Auror will be so undercover that your Minister Le Vau won't even know he's there for his protection."

"And how would that increase security?" asked Lily, furrowing her eyebrows.

"Nobody will know there's an Auror there! Not the Minister, not the First Magical Family, nobody!"

Lily leaned back in her chair and pondered the plan. She was feeling quite emotionally stressed by having Sirius seated before her, and the powerful magical aura of Dumbledore's was giving her a migraine. She rubbed her temples. "This isn't exactly my job. My superior, the Head of Security, will have to authorize this."

Dumbledore gave Lily a keen look. "Ms. Evans, I have been informed your superior does no work at all, leaves everything to your quite capable self, and signs off on anything you lay before him."

"And how is it that you know all this, Professor?" Lily gazed at him meditatively, appreciating the compliment.

"The fates have revealed it to him," said Sirius, obviously struggling to keep a straight face.

"Oh really, Black!" Lily threw up her hands in exasperation. "This is _exactly_ why he's here, to make sure _you_ don't muck around."

"Lily, don't you know by now that Dumbledore doesn't _ever_ reveal who tells him shit?"

Dumbledore raised a white eyebrow. He looked so stern he managed to draw an embarrassed look from Sirius. "To answer your question, Lily, the paintings in this room whispered it to me."

"Oh."

Sirius looked from Dumbledore to Lily. "So, is that a yes, you'll let us add someone?"

Lily scribbled something on a piece of parchment. "No."

"It's a no?"

"Not that either." Lily met his eyes, her expression firm. "You're missing something."

"What?"

Lily held up the parchment so that Sirius could read it. Scribbled on it was a single word.

_Details._

"I need to know details. The when, the who, the what, the everything, in your plans."

"Where would you like me to start?" asked Sirius.

Lily raised a dark eyebrow into a perfect arch. "Well, to begin, which Auror do you have in mind? 'Cause, if it's you Sirius, the answer is automatically no."

Sirius turned to Dumbledore. "You see that, Prof? And I did nothing to provoke her."

Dumbledore held up his hand, unmistakably indicating for Sirius to remain silent. "Ms. Evans, please do not concern yourself with this. Moody chose someone who is not only highly qualified, but also already has close family ties to the Le Vaus, thereby erasing suspicion."

"And who might this perfect Auror be?" asked Lily, her quill poised to take notes.

Dumbledore tried to give Lily a level look, but Sirius blurted out the answer. "Your old loverboy."

Lily's hand twitched involuntarily, and she blotched the paper, poking a hole right through it. "James?"

"No, Professor Flitwick," snapped Sirius sarcastically as he rolled his eyes. "_Of course_ James."

She looked down at her notes. "Well, do you have a pre-written document where I can examine all of your requests?"

"Have it right here." Sirius pulled out a scroll from the pocket of his robes.

Lily broke the seal, and unrolled it. She read through it several times.

Finally, she looked up at them. "I need time to think about this."

Dumbledore looked at her, his old eyes peering at her intently. "I am afraid time is the one luxury we cannot afford presently."

Lily took a deep breath. "Very well. This proposal will be signed by myself and then by the Head of Security, and all shall be done as you requested."

Sirius smiled triumphantly.

"However," said Lily, ending Sirius's joy, "there is one more thing I would like to add."

"_What_?" cried out Sirius in exasperation.

Dumbledore seemed to radiate anger. "Black, these are_ not_ your old school days. Ms. Evans is in a position of high responsibility, the youngest person ever to hold it, and many lives depend on her good judgment. Her concerns are quite valid; you will show respect accordingly."

Sirius flustered, but felt sorry. "Beg pardon. Continue."

Lily took a deep breath, preparing herself for an outburst. "I want to be there too."

Sirius stood up immediately. "No, Lily, that's not good, you and James will be too… er… _preoccupied_ with each other to focus on security, and then you'll have that nasty recovery process again. A silly idea all around."

"Do you think I've gotten to this position by being rash and stupid?" cried Lily, also standing, her emerald-green eyes flashing. He towered over her, but that didn't stop her from arguing.

Sirius opened his mouth to say something, but Lily didn't give him a chance. "No, listen to me, Sirius. I go, or nobody does."

"Lily, I understand that you're mature and all, but still, you and James in the same room will be a distraction for both of you, and that's the last thing we need."

"If this goes wrong, it would cost more that just my job, people could get killed. So I want to be there to keep an eye on James."

Sirius raised an eyebrow at her suggestively. "Keep an eye on him?"

"Not in that way!" cried out Lily, and was dismayed to feel her face redden. "To make sure he doesn't mess up."

Sirius snorted. "_Right._ And having you there won't make him mess up."

Lily bent over her desk and pulled a piece of parchment. "This," she said, placing it in front of the two wizards, "is a parchment -"

"Thanks for clearing that up for us," said Sirius sarcastically. "We've been wondering what the hell this beige stuff is that we write on."

Lily forced herself to resist the very pressing urge to hex Sirius into oblivion, and continued. "This is a parchment on which the official seating arrangement is written. So I'll just re-work it to our liking. And, to address your concerns, I will be in disguise."

Sirius looked at her, surprised. "What kind of disguise?"

Lily was about to tell him, but Dumbledore intervened. "I think it better for the details to be kept secret, at least for the time being."

She nodded. "Right. Let me just sign the written request, and then get someone to take it to my boss' office."

"Is he still in at this hour?" asked Sirius, looking at his watch. It was eleven-thirty at night. "He must make a fortune on overtime."

"Oh yes. He only comes in when he has a scheduled meeting, and for a couple hours daily to sign any documents I may have for him; he usually comes late at night to avoid having to do any more work." She sighed to let out her frustration. "Let me get a page to take this to him."

She pressed on a raised golden leaf that 'decorated' the lower right corner of her desk. Half a second later, there was a knock at her office door.

"Le courier!" the person called, and with a wave of Lily's wand, the door opened, and a trim young man, probably not a day over twenty, entered the room.

"Take this to Montcalm, s'il vous plaît." Lily handed him the document. "It's urgent, I need it signed by tomorrow."

The page nodded. "Oui, oui."

"Merci!" Lily called after him as he left.

"Er - sir - may I ask what you are doing?" Sirius asked the Professor, who had stood and was examining the ceiling and upper walls.

"Looking for the best exit path." Dumbledore turned to Lily. "Again, excellent work on the Shield charms. But, I believe I must be leaving now. I have a feeling I shall be seeing you soon – and certainly sooner than three years this time. Sirius, I shall see you at the Ministry." And with that, he was gone.

Suddenly, the whole room shook slightly, and the fire flickered. A cherub in the ceiling began to cry, and the bookcases shuddered.

After a few seconds, everything resumed normality.

"What was _that_?" asked Sirius, looking all around the room wildly.

Lily simply bent down and replaced a couple of books that had fallen off the shelves. "Dumbledore pushing through my protective charms." Her attitude suddenly resumed its briskness. "Right. If you'll excuse me, I have to make several arrangements for the Ball tomorrow." She indicated the door for him to leave, but Sirius didn't take the hint.

"Such as?"

"My disguise, for one."

"And what do you need for that?"

"Polyjuice Potion, among many things."

"And how do you suppose you're going to get that? It takes a month to prepare."

"A fresh batch, yes," said Lily, smirking at him. "But I'm sure that Marlene, as a Potion Master here, has some in her private stores."

"Ah, Marlene!" said Sirius, a delighted look coming over his face. "Yes, let's do go visit dear Marlene."

Lily glared at him. "Not a chance, Black! Go back to England, tell Moody all is well."

"Fine. Two things though," said Sirius, crossing his arms, his jaw set.

"What now?"

"One, who is the Reindeer guy? Two, what is your disguise? Answer in whichever order you prefer."

Lily blushed."I'm not telling you either one!" she said, rushing for the door.

Sirius was right on her heels. "I'm not leaving without you answering at least one of my questions."

Lily looked at him, and saw that he meant it. She weighed her options, and decided.

"Fine. I'll answer the first one. Edouard Renoir is..." she paused for dramatic effect, then continued, "Minister Le Vau's nephew."

"Wait, what? No, come on, he has to be someone more interesting than that - long-lost brother, husband, son?"

"DO I LOOK LIKE I HAVE A SON?" she yelled, barely resisting the urge to reach over and throttle him.

"No." Sirius' shoulders slumped in disappointment. "It'd make for good gossip, though." He smiled mischievously.

"Don't even think about it! Anyway, I told you who he is, kept my part of the deal, now go away."

"Say no more, say no more. I'll be back later."

"NO, YOU WILL _NOT_ BE BACK _LATER_!"

"Nice to see you again, Red!" he called out and left without another word.

Lily sat down at her desk, shaking her head.

_Some things, some people, just don't change.  
_

_Now, focus Lily, you have a lot of work to do. And you have to prepare yourself mentally to see James again._

_I wonder what he looks like. _

_Does he still have that same warm, intelligent intensity in his hazel eyes? Does he still wear glasses? Or does he wear Muggle contacts? _

She smiled to herself at the thought.

_Is his hair still as uncontrollable as always?_

Her smile widened as she remembered how hard it had been to convince James _not_ to ruffle up his hair on purpose_._

Just as she was thinking all this, there was a knock at the door. Lily walked over to it, gearing herself up mentally to argue with Sirius and tell him to go away. But when she opened it, it wasn't Sirius behind the door.

A pair of long, strong arms wrapped around Lily's waist. She gasped, and then relaxed, recognizing the wizard.

"Edouard!" she said delightedly, kissing him on both cheeks. "What are you doing here so late?"

A pair of deep blue eyes sparkled. "Anything for _l'amour_," he replied in a deep, softly accented voice. The exquisitely tailored navy blue robes he wore matched his eyes and set off his subtle tan and light blond hair; the scent of expensive cologne lingered in the air.

"I still have somethings I need to take care of..." Lily said pulling back slightly, thinking about the Polyjuice potion.

"It can wait till morning, n'est pas?" said Eduoard, brushing a lock of dark red hair from her eyes. "Besides," he smiled affectionately, "every one in your office is leaving, and there will be no one here except for you. Let me take you home, I hate it when you drive alone this late at night."

_I'll talk to Marlene about the Polyjuice Potion in the morning. _"All right. You win this time, monsieur."

Edouard kissed her softly. "Anything for you, Madame Renoir," he whispered into her ear.

Lily paused, and pulled back when he said that. "Not _yet_."

Edouard nodded. "No, not yet. But, a promise is a promise." He held up her left hand to kiss it.

And light danced off the single brilliant jewel that decorated her ring finger.

* * *

That same night, James paced around his bedroom's balcony, looking out at the sprawling dark hills and the sleepy town below him, and desperately trying to sort out his thoughts.

_I like Jinah._

He glanced at the slightly ajar french doors, inside of which he could see Jinah sleeping peacefully on his bed.

He ran his hands through his black hair pensively. _I care about her.  
_

_But I just can't seem to let Lily go. I've tried for the past three years, to just move on and not look back, like she did with me. But every time I think I've finally gotten over her, that blasted dream comes back. I see her standing in the Hogwarts train station, shivering in the cold, her hair covering her face in wisps. I see the rain surrounding us, and I feel the same desperate sense of hope, a sick sense of 'maybe this time she'll stay.' And then I see her getting on the train, leaving me again._

_And then I'm right back where I started. A lovesick fool who can't sleep at night._

James rested his elbows on the cold guardrail, resting his face in his hands.

_I really am pathetic. Why can't I just be happy? _

_She__ left. She didn't look back. She can't possibly miss me, as she has only sent three letters in THREE years - when I graduated, and then when each of my parents died. Letters that she didn't allow me to answer!_

_ Why can't I just be like her? She's doing well, and it's not like my life is going bad anyway. It's actually been going so much better, I've graduated with honours from a top school, I have the hot girlfriend, and my career couldn't be better - I'm happy. _

_Most of the time anyway. _

_I know I could forget about Lily. I'm a strong person; I can push her into the past and really move on._

_The question is, then, do I want to?_

_Do I want to forget her?_

_Yes. And no._

He removed his glasses and wiped the mist that had accumulated on them onto his shirt.

_Maybe I should just try to be happy. Be happy with Jinah. Let whatever happens, happen. Move on. Be happy._

"Right," said James as he put his glasses back on. _I am so full of shit. _

_Too bad I didn't have to work late tonight, that would have certainly taken my mind of Lily._

James slapped a hand to his forehead, remembering something.

_I did have work tonight, but it was cancelled._

He remembered the meeting that had taken place earlier that day.

Head Auror Alastor Moody was the one who designated the teams for specific missions. James' team, Sirius, Benjy Fenwick, and Gideon and Fedwick Prewett, had conducted a secret raid on the Macnairs, who were suspected of being the Dark wizards who had coordinated a series of violent attacks on Muggles in Cumbria. James, who had been convinced of their guilt, was angry when the raid had been unsuccessful of finding any evidence of their activities. As the team's leader, James had the unhappy task of reporting this to Moody.

He had slowly walked through the Auror Headquarters, trying to put off the moment that he had to tell Moody about his team's failure, killing time by talking to every witch and wizard he ran into or passed by. He read every single inter-office memo, and picked up all the crumpled stationery that littered his desk. He had even helped Mafalda Hopkirk, a Junior Member of the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad, find her eyes and schedule a trip to St. Mungo's after she had accidentally putting on a pair of hexed spectacles.

In a desperate attempt to delay the debriefing, he had even listened in on the current office gossip. He soon found himself learning from two inter-office secretaries about how Fabian Prewett and his girlfriend, Stephanie Medhurst, from the Department of Mysteries, had had a huge row right inside of his cubicle ("I heard her yell that she had had enough of his late nights"... "did you _see_ the flowers he ordered for her today?"... "practically a forest!"). James left when they began to discuss Sirius Black and one of his latest flings ("That poor woman"... "but then again, she _did_ dress like she belonged in a harem").

At this, James had had enough, and headed straight to Moody's office. _Merlin knows what else they say about me._

The office was a long rectangular room, simple and functional, yet very cluttered. The wall was wallpapered with maps, with tiny colour-coded pins marked places where Dark wizards had been spotted, or Dark activities had been reported. The remaining walls were covered in floor-to-ceiling shelves full of Dark detectors, ancient scrolls, and out-of print books.

An the centre of the office, set on a step slightly above the rest of the room, was an over-sized oak desk. Alastor Moody and Emmeline Vance were standing behind it; pointing and discussing the map of central France that lay on the desk in front of them.

Head Auror Moody heard him arrive. "You're late."

Emmeline Vance, Moody's deputy, looked at James gravely from behind her large black spectacles. She remained standing, and positioned herself at Moody's right, her black robes so heavily starched that James was sure they could stand on their own.

"Take a seat," said Moody, motioning for James to sit in the empty chair in front of his desk.

James did so, and then drew in a quick breath. "Sir, on last night's mission we were unable to find any evidence-"

Moody waved a hand at him. "I'll get Black to report on the mission. This came in for you." He held out a small scroll held tight with a gold satin ribbon.

James frowned, accepting the scroll. "Sir?" He slid the ribbon off, and unrolled the glossy white parchment.

..

_**In Honour of His Excellency François Le Vau**_

_**Minister for Magic of France**_

_**Your presence is cordially requested**_

_**By Her Royal Highness Elizabeth II**_

_**Queen Regent  
**_

..

James stopped reading. "Sir?" he repeated.

Moody looked at James severely. "As you know, Emmeline and yourself are the people in charge of security during the upcoming meetings between Bagnold and Le Vau. I am confident in your ability to maintain safety at the meetings. Your constant vigilance is excellent. During the conferences, there shall be no breach of security." Moody glared at both James and Vance, as if telling them it had better be so.

"However," he continued, "there is to be some sort of foolish welcoming ball the night of the Le Vau's arrival. Although security during the ball is also to be very tight, the occasion constitutes an irresistible opportunity for attack. Two Ministers for Magic, at the same place and time, as well as dozens of other dignitaries, mingling with a hundred other guests? I would feel much better knowing that one of our own Ministry's Aurors is close by Minister Le Vau's side during the whole night. This is your invitation to the event."

"But the French Ministry has chosen to be in charge of Le Vau's security," pointed out James, confused. The familiar ache in his heart creaked; it knew Lily worked on Le Vau's security team.

Moody gave James a strange look. "That's why you're the one going. You. Potter. That name is highly respected in the magical world, and is well-known even in France. And wasn't Minister Le Vau's daughter one of your friends?

"Madeleine. Yes. But-" began James, not entirely convinced. _She's also a friend of Lily's._

"No buts." Moody sat down again, and gave James a penetrating glance. "I want you to be... an extra undercover bodyguard, if you will. So undercover, that neither Minister will know that you're there to protect them. They'll think you're just there for the Ball. This is where your good family name comes in. And, to ensure close cooperation with the French security staff, tonight you'll go to the French Ministry of Magic to sort out the details. Tonight they'll be so nervous about the trip that at the mention of a possibility of danger, the wizards in charge will let you sit at the Minister's table, dance with his daughter, be close enough to smell his cologne... you name it."

"Right..." James said, slightly repulsed at the thought.

"Now, about your trip to France tonight," said Vance, pulling out scrolls. "I have the details and your itinerary written here." She handed the Head Auror a small roll of parchment.

Moody unrolled it, and began reading to James. "You'll leave here promptly at eight thirty-one. Transportation: Portkey."

"You'll find the Portkey ready at your desk five minutes before that time," put in Emmeline Vance. "Memorize this." She indicated the back of the roll, on which was drawn the blueprints of a building.

"This is the French Ministry, right? I've been there before," said James, examining the geometric shapes and lines on the parchment. _Wonder if I'll see Lily while I'm there?_

He wasn't sure what he felt more - dread or expectation.

"Yes. The Portkey will take you directly there."

"Who will I report to?"

"The Senior Security Analyst there - second door to the right on the second corridor." Moody said, glancing at his copy of the map. "That person's boss, the Head of the Security Department, is a lazy warthog who does nothing and therefore _knows_ nothing, so communicate directly to the Assistant. Tell him who you are-"

"Emphasizing your family name," added Vance.

James sighed, and tried a new tactic. "I know I'll get in... but this is kind of, well, _dull_ compared to a real mission."

Both Moody and Vance gave James a severe look. "I assure you, Mr. Potter, it won't be dull," said Vance, her lips pressed together tightly.

"Excuse me, but to whom am I to report to at the French Ministry?"

"A senior security advisor-" Vance began, but she was the one interrupted this time.

"Yes, I heard that," said James impatiently, "but which one?"

Moody glanced at the parchment. "It's not here. Emmeline, could you look through the parchments in that cabinet," he said, pointing to the right one.

Vance walked over to it, and began reading the side of each scroll. After going through about five, she muttered, "Here it is!"

Moody unrolled it, and glanced down the list of names, and then gave up. "Emmeline, this is all Greek to me."

Emmeline glanced at the parchment. "It's in French, sir."

"I read French," said James in a bored tone.

"We know. That's part of the reason why you're going," said Vance, irritated at his tone. "But, you aren't the only one that knows French. I can manage it perfectly." She read the scroll, and then pointed. "That's the name you want." She exchanged glances with Moody and then turned to James. "Actually... Potter, you're right, this would be a poor use of your time. Instead, perhaps it is better for someone else to make the necessary arrangements for you, and then you can simply take up your duty at the Ball. Let's have Sirius Black will go in your stead."

James paused. He was going to protest, but then thought better of it - he'd rather have the night off than to be stuck in late meetings.

_Although... with Lily working at the Ministry, I might have run into her._

James really wasn't sure how he felt about that possibility. "All right," he said to Vance, "but you didn't give me a reason why I'm not going."

Vance gave him a piercing look. She paused for a second, and then smiled. "Disciplinary action. Your last mission was a failure. Now you'll have the time to do the documentation for it. Include the established plan, any improvisations, goals, insights on why you think it failed, and report on all Aurors and Sources involved."

"_What_?"

"I expect it on my desk by seven o'clock," she said as she re-entered Moody's office.

James had groaned, thinking of the three-foot stack of paperwork that was piled on his desk. _Sometimes, Vance can be so much like Professor McGonagall it's creepy_ he thought as he headed to his desk to do his 'homework.'

* * *

Back at his condo in Surrey, James frowned at his recollections.

_It took all day to do all that stupid pointless parchmentwork!_

_Maybe going to France wouldn't have been so bad after all. _

He looked at his watch._ Eleven-thirty. Padfoot is definitely in France by now._

Taking one more breath of cool night air, he turned around and walked back into his bedroom.

As he crawled back into bed, he wrapped his strong arms tenderly around Jinah's sleeping form. _I have what I want._

_For now. _

* * *

:-)_  
_


	4. Tomorrow Never Knows

A/N: Hello! Sorry I took sooooo incredibly long to update, it shouldn't take me this long in the future, but I have this math course I need to finish...

**

* * *

**

**THE BEWITCHMENT OF JAMES POTTER**

**Chapter Four:**** Tomorrow Never Knows  
**

* * *

The orange sunshine of mid-fall woke James up the following morning. He looked at his watch. _Still early... maybe a few more minutes?_

But James found he couldn't sleep any longer, so he reached over to the nightstand to pick up his dark-rimmed glasses; Jinah was still sleeping soundly.

Stretching, he stood up. He walked to his closet and examined several robes before grabbing a set of dark blue ones that Jinah had picked out for him.

He lazily strolled into his bathroom, tossing the clean robes onto a shelf before he shod his sleeping garments. He stepped into the shower, letting the cool water run down his body. He stretched again, and lathered up with pine soap. Jinah had gotten him a whole new line of hair tamers that claimed to make even the wildest locks controllable. Ignoring the shiny new bottles, he opted for his normal shampoo. _I shouldn't have ever even given her the money for all that stuff. It cost a small fortune, and it's all utterly useless._ As he rinsed, he rejoiced in the energizing feel of the hard spray. James shook his head as if to clear it, and stepped out of the shower onto the cold granite flooring.

By then, the sun was shining steadily and resplendently through the bathroom windows. James dried off with a heated towels, and wrapped one of them around his waist. He wiped the steam from the bathroom mirror before he shaved, humming as he moved his wand along his face. After splashing on some minty aftershave, he pulled the robes on.

When he stepped back into his and Jinah's bedroom, he was surprised to see that Jinah was already awake. She was sitting on the very edge of the bed, barefoot, and shivering in her sleeveless, light pink slip. Her back was to him.

"Hey," James whispered walking in close to her, "you're going to get sick, sitting there uncovered like that." He reached over and covered her with the comforter, tucking it around her shoulders

She shrugged the covers off, and looked back at him blankly with her coal-black eyes. "What do you care…" she said, staring at the floor in a listless manner, her pink lips set in a perfect pout.

James looked at her, startled. "What's wrong?" he said, furrowing his brow. He sat down on the edge of the bed next to her.

Jinah hugged her knees to her chest. "We never spend any time together. Not really. You never want to be with me."

_I don't need this today._ Pushing his irritation away, he reached over and cupped her chin, analyzing her face briefly. "Come on, Jinah, be fair, I've been very busy at work."

Jinah pouted again, her slender lips puffing out slightly, and her dark eyes looked at him almost sadly. _Damn, she looks almost childish when she does that. Attractive, sure, but childish. _"We need to spend time together," said Jinah in a slow, slightly whiny voice.

James groaned as he stood up. "I guess you're right." Deciding to be the good/nice boyfriend, he knelt in front of her.

Jinah raised an eyebrow, confused. "And you're kneeling before me because…?"

James took her hand. "Will you do the honor of going to the Welcoming Ball with me? It's probably not going to be a wild party, but important people will be there. _I'll_ be there."

Jinah brightened, and kissed him. "James, you're so silly."

"But I'm also damn cute," said James, smiling in a fetching way.

Jinah smiled back at him. "Yeah, yeah. And, yes, I'll go with you, even though you are a total prat!" She kissed him again, and then quickly slipped into the bathroom.

_Just like that, we're patched. _

As James turned to leave the bedroom, he felt relieved that all was okay between Jinah and he - until he noticed the invitation to the Ball lying on his dresser.

A sinking sensation in his gut that told him that Jinah had seen it and that was what she had been after all along.

**

* * *

**

**Paris, France**

* * *

Voices were heard making their way up the stairs.

"…ought to wake her up soon…"

"She'll hex you-" warned a female voice.

"Merlin I hope not," answered the first voice, male.

Lily tried to block out the conversation. She was sprawled out on her bed, face-down, and (had been) in a deep sleep. But two people were making sleep impossible.

"I'm telling you, Sirius, she'll kill you for waking her," hissed the female voice, which Lily dazedly identified as Marlene's, as their footsteps entered into the bedroom.

_Oh, hell __no, _Lily thought groggily, turning her head away from the noises.

_Not Black again!_

"Oh, what do you know? Red's my friend, she won't mind." From his tone, Lily could tell he was giving the other person puppy eyes.

_It is way too early to have to deal with him._

"Throwing cold water on someone, _especially_ if that person is a witch, is never a good idea," persisted the female voice.

Lily's ears pricked.

_Did she say cold water!_

"Ah, it'll only feel like a breath of fresh air."

Sirius' voice was getting dangerously close.

Lily reached her right arm under her pillow, the place where she always kept her wand while she slept. In one swift movement, Lily pulled it out, flipped herself over and sat up on the edge of her bed.

"If you so much as spill ONE DROP of that on me -" cried Lily hysterically, a vein throbbing in her forehead as she pointed her wand threateningly at Sirius.

"You're awake!" said Sirius gleefully, a cup of water in his outstretched arm.

"_Put it down!_"

Sirius looked at the glass of water reflectively. He inched it closer to Lily's head.

"I can see the hamster struggling to turn the wheel inside your thick skull!" she shouted, gripping her wand even harder. "You don't want to test me this early in the morning!"

"Don't I?" But, thinking it best to not push Lily, and since the protruding vein was indeed rather intimidating, he instead raised the glass as if in a toast, and drank a sip.

Lily relaxed slightly. Slightly.

"See, Red? No harm done," said Sirius, a grin on his smug face.

Lily jabbed him in the side with her wand. "Step away from my bed."

Rolling his eyes, Sirius set the glass down on Lily's night table, and moved backwards to stand next to Marlene.

Lily shot Marlene a disapproving look. "I can't believe you let him do this."

"Well, I did try to stop him," said Marlene, unsuccessfully attempting to hide her smile.

"I suppose…" Lily turned to glare once more at Sirius, "You bastard, it even has _ice_ in it!"

Sirius looked at Lily mournfully. "It would have been so funny." He sighed sadly, his dark hair covering his face as his head bowed.

Lily looked at her Marlene and was shaken to see that her friend was checking Sirius out.

_Oh Merlin. _

_Why me._

A flashbulb lighted up in Lily's brain.

"Funny, huh?" she said to Sirius. "Maybe I can still make us laugh!"

She flicked her wand at the glass. It flew across the room, and dangled in the air, inched above Sirius's perfectly-wavy, carefully-coiffed head.

Sirius' look changed from laughing to horror-struck. "No, Lily, pl-"

SPLASH!

"Ahhh!"

Sirius' hair was now plastered to his skull. "EVANS!"

Lily toppled over on the bed, bursting into laughter. "I didn't know the drowned rat look was popular nowadays!" she blurted out, her voice slightly muffled by the pillows.

Marlene, who had been once again failing to hide her mirth, burst out laughing as well.

Fifteen minutes later, Sirius had finally gotten over The Disaster, as he called it, and had proceeded to raid her kitchen for food. Croissants, an assortment of French cheeses, and other pastries were stacked on a large plate in front of him. A fresh pot of coffee was brewing, the aroma of Colombian coffee permeating the air. Lily was still dressed in the set of comfortable pale green lounging pyjamas she had had for so long that they threadbare. She was sitting at the head of her kitchen table, sipping her second cup of coffee. Sirius was sitting at her left, and Marlene was sitting straight across from him.

Lily raised an eyebrow at Sirius. "Do you think that'll be enough food for your trash compactor of a stomach? Or shall I get a couple more pounds of that cheese?"

Sirius gave her a blank look. "Trash compecter? What's that?"

"Never mind." She noticed that Marlene was staring at Sirius with a star-struck look on her face, her mouth slightly open.

_Oh, damn. "_Marlene?_"_

"Yah?" Marlene said, dragging her eyes off of Sirius' face.

"Not to be rude, I mean it's not like you two invaded my apartment or anything, right," she said dryly, "but why are you here? More importantly, why is _he _here?"

Marlene blushed slightly. "It's all Sirius' fault, of course."

"Sure, blame me," said Sirius, giving Marlene a sulky look. "Just like back at Hogwarts - other kids were always pointing their finger at me, saying '_he did it_, _Professor McGonagall_!'"

"I seem to remember that you usually _had _done whatever 'it' was on any given day." Lily rolled her eyes and placed a banana on Sirius' plate. "So what was _it_ this time?"

Sirius pounded his fist on the table. "_How many times! _I do not like bananas, not their shape, not their texture, not their taste, so stop force-feeding them to me!" he cried, tossing the banana to the kitchen sink.

Lily calmly poured herself some orange juice. "You know... Freud would have several interesting things to say about your distaste towards phallic-shaped edibles."

Marlene snorted into her coffee. "What, he's afraid of his father or harbors a secret attraction towards his mother?"

"Something along those lines."

Sirius glared at Lily, his eyes narrow slits. "What the hell are you saying?"

"To answer the initial question," interrupted Marlene, turning to Lily, "I had been preparing a special batch of the Amentrigoras Potion, and I needed to check on it before the sun rose or the potion would spoil."

Lily looked at her friend, and noticed the tired look in her friend's face. "What an ungodly hour."

"Yah, tell me about it. But, anyway, I walked into my office, and guess who was standing there like he owned the place?"

Sirius, relaxing as he spread jam onto his crispy toasted croissant. "Hey, it's a nice office, love."

Marlene blushed again slightly. "Yes, very well, the point is, he seemed to think that you would need some Polyjuice Potion."

Lily shot Sirius a look. "Did you tell her about my plan?"

Sirius nodded. "Figured she's in your confidence."

Lily rolled her eyes. _Yeah, and the fact that she's pretty didn't have anything to do with it. _"So, _do_ you have any Polyjuice?"

"Yes, we always have some in stock. Brought it with me, along with the other thing you need," finished Marlene, smiling triumphantly.

"What other thing?" Sirius and Lily said at the same time.

_Ick, I can't believe Black and I had the same thought. _

"Anyway," said Sirius, with a bow to Lily, "what other thing did you bring? I don't recall telling you she needed anything other than Polyjuice Potion."

Marlene's smile widened. "Yeah, but you told me all about the seating arrangements, and I figured out that there was only one person Lily would chose to look like." She held up a long, thin vial containing a single hair.

Lily's eyes widened. "Is that-?"

Marlene nodded.

Sirius looked from Lily to Marlene and back to Lily. "Who are you going to turn into!"

"I'm not going to tell you. And neither is Marlene." Lily shot Marlene a look that obviously said 'tell him and you're dead'.

To stall, Lily reached over and grabbed a roll. _Should I break the news to Sirius about my engagement to Edouard? _She pondered as she began buttering the roll. _I mean, I should probably tell him, end all of his prying curiosity once and for all. _

_Except that he might tell James._

_It's not that I don't want James to know... I mean, he has to find out sooner or later. I've promised to commit the rest of my life to Edouard, and there is no way I can ever do that without putting James in the past. _Edouard_ is my future.  
_

_Still._

_ I'll be seeing James tonight._

A jolt rushed through Lily at the realization; her heart beat quickened.

_ It seems like a surreal joke. An incredibly twisted dream._

_An exquisitely well-executed torture._

"Lily, I think you have enough butter on that."

Lily was startled out of her thoughts by Sirius' mocking comment. Looking down at her plate, she realized that she had been paying absolutely no attention to what she was doing and her little roll was hidden under a mountain of butter.

"R-right, of course." She ignored Sirius's snickers and took a bite of the roll, but the slip and slide that was going on inside her mouth because of all the butter made her want to gag. "Excuse me," she said as delicately as she could as she hurried to the rubbish bin and chucked the poor little roll away.

As she washed her hands to get rid of the sticky feeling, she came to a decision.

_When I see James at this Ball tonight, I will know my true feelings. And then I can move past James and be with Edouard. _

_The one good thing is that I will have the advantage tonight. I will be able to see James, whereas he'll see me, but it wont be __me_.

Returning to the table, Lily remained standing, and stretched. She looked at the wall clock. "Nine-thirty. Not to kick you guys out or anything, but I need to shower and dress. Today's my day off, but I do have some final arrangements to set up for the Ball."

Sirius looked up at her from where he was sitting, unmoving. "Has your Minister Le Vau already left for Britain?"

"No, he's still in Paris; he was supposed to meet Dumbledore for breakfast today, but our old Headmaster cancelled on him. Said he had something rather important and pressing that wouldn't wait."

"I love how the old boy can get away with ditching heads of state. The wizard's a rock star," quipped Sirius, standing up near Lily to get more coffee. "So, um, when do you see James?" asked Sirius in what was supposed to be a nonchallant tone, yet it was obvious he was watching for her reaction.

_He's really as subtle as a sledgehammer_.

"Whenever he and his date arrive," stated Lily.

"Who is James going with?" asked Marlene, curious.

"I would presume a witch named Jinah Chang," said Lily, forcing her face face to be expressionless, her voice monotonous. "Her parents are Chinese; father is in the silk trade, the mother is a homemaker, and Mademoiselle Chang is into interior design. She's clean, no record, but she does have a habit of spending the allowance of several thousand pounds her parents send her pretty early in the week, and always gets sent more."

"And, once again, Big Sister is watching," said Sirius, smirking at Lily. "You certainly take the background check thing seriously... Although what Jinah spends that money on is a total mystery."

"What do you mean?" asked Lily with what she hoped was a 'who cares' tone.

"James spoils her intensely."

"Oh, are they an item?" questioned Lily, surprised to see that her throat was rather dry. _Probably from all that coffee?_

"You can ask James yourself when you see him."

_I certainly will not,_ thought Lily, scratching an itchy spot on her shoulder absentmindedly.

"Are you sure you can do this?" asked Sirius abruptly, a frown creasing his handsome face.

Lily's green eyes flashed. "Of course I can. I'm fully qualified, and my staff is immensely capable. This operation is going to be a piece of cake."

"I meant, can you face James?"

"Yes, I can," said Lily, resisting the urge to throw her mug at Sirius. Taking a deep breath and forcing her fingers to unclench, she continued. "Now, both of you, I really need to shower and change. S_'il vous plaît_?"

"Will I see you later?" asked Sirius, grabbing another cheese-filled croissant and wrapping it in a napkin.

"No, probably not. I'm going to the Ball, making sure it goes on without a hitch, and then coming straight back to France. I'm not even staying overnight; I had several Portkeys set up for myself and some other officials."

"I'm going to miss you-" Sirius reached over to give her a hug.

"Oh, sod off," she said, pushing his head off her shoulder. "But… I'll admit, even thought you are an absolute pest, it was somewhat nice to see you." She patted his arm awkwardly.

"Red, I didn't know you cared-"

"Oh Black, my darling, my love for you is_ forever_."

"So what's your favorite thing about me? My dashing, debonair smile?" he asked, doing the 'dashing, debonair smile.'

"You have a piece of food stuck in your teeth."

With a loud _pop!_ Sirius vanished from the kitchen table.

Lily calmly sat back down in her place, and poured herself her third cup of coffee.

"Now Lily," said Marlene, tut-tutting reproachfully, "how am I ever going to catch a man if you keep frightening them all away?"

* * *

**Surrey, England**

* * *

James was sprawled out on a plush, dark red leather sofa in his living room, sipping a Perrier. He was enjoying the temporary silence that floated throughout his house, and congratulated himself on how he had accomplished it – he had sent Jinah out to buy herself something to wear for the Ball.

_I only wish I'd come up with a way to get alone time that would be easier on my bank account._

He was busy memorizing the floor plans and blueprints of Windsor Castle, where the Welcoming Ball was to take place. He studied the translucent parchment, which was enchanted so that only wizards authorized directly by Head Auror Moody could see it, taking a mental note of all official entrances and exits, and conjecturing possible ones. He had been to the Castle for formal occasions before, but never as part of security protocol. He also reviewed the revised Seating Chart, and was satisfied to see that his name was already on it, as was Jinah's. _Looks like someone in France is doing his job!_

He yawned, and stretched out like a contented cat.

_This is going to be a piece of cake. All I have to do is chat with the Minister, eat an excellent dinner, and dance a few waltzes._

_And keep my eyes open, of course_.

James seriously doubted that anything would happen at the Ball worse than running out of the Minister's favorite wine.

_But then again, the Ministry will have bought enough wine to knock out a battalion of Le Vaus._

He removed his glasses, and after wiping them on his robes, put them on again.

_What time is it, anyway? Noon? Where the hell is Padfoot?_

He reached over to the half-empty bottle, and poured himself some more sparkling water. He leaned back against the leather couch, and was sighing when a loud shattering noise sliced through the silence. It came from the next room, his study.

James promptly choked on his soda, and erupted into a fit of coughs.

He whipped out his wand. He tried to call 'who's there?', but instead, the only thing he was able to accomplish was more coughing.

His eyes began to water as he stood up, holding his wand out in front of him. He stumbled into the hall, and cautiously opened the door to the small library. "J-Jinah?" He called, forcing himself to hold the coughs down.

_Maybe she came home early from shopping? No way. She takes hours. _

As he made his way stealthily across the room, looking into the corners and behind furniture and bookshelves, he noticed a pile of shattered ceramic on the floor.

"Prongs!"

James whipped around, skidding on the broken ceramic pieces.

"If I were a Dark wizard, you'd be dead by now." A dark figure with longish black hair was standing in the doorway.

James squinted at the figure. "Padfoot, damn you, you broke Jinah's favourite vase."

Sirius shrugged. "So you'll buy her a new one." He left the doorway and immediately headed for the kitchen, his voice carrying after him. "And since I've had a long night, and didn't get to finish my first breakfast, I decided to come for a second one."

James rolled his eyes. _Typical._

He tried the _Reparo_ charm on the vase several times, but it wasn't working. _Why is it that when you break something expensive it's impossible to fix cheaply?_ He made a mental note to put in an order to the Chinese China Shoppe for another vase.

Once in the kitchen, he cornered Sirius. "Well, Padfoot? What did you find out?"

Sirius patted James on the shoulder. "Relax, mate, for life is short enough, we need not rush it more." And with that, he turned and opened the pantry door.

James gaped after Sirius. "I can't believe you. You've just been in France, where they have some of the best cuisine, and you're already raiding my kitchen."

Sirius looked up, his mouth full of a sticky bun he had found. "Pwrrongsh, yerh jus' downt unshertan'."

James gave Sirius a mildly amused look. "Swallow, then speak."

Sirius did so, then looked at James mournfully. "That's the kind of thing _she_ would say."

"Who?" asked James, confused.

"Oh, no one," he said, his dark eyes dancing with mischief. "No one _important_."

James rolled his eyes, somewhat used to his friend's particular brand of insanity. "Fine, whatever. So, tell me."

"Tell you what?" said Sirius innocently, grabbing a butterbeer from the shelf. After chilling it with his wand, he uncapped it with his teeth. He had perfected the technique during their fourth year.

James gave Sirius an intense look. "Are you trying to get me to pull my bloody eyebrows out? Tell me about France, the Ball, who I'm to report to, when, where, everything! Something!"

"Oh, right. France." Sirius took a long swig from the bottle.

James shook his head. "Honestly, Padfoot, sometimes I feel that if we weren't friends I'd kill you."

"Aye, but if you did, my female fan club would hate you for it. Butterbeer?" he said, handing James a bottle.

"I'm sure it would be a major tragedy for your male fanclub as well," said James, turning down the butterbeer.

"Spare me." Sirius rolled his eyes. "Speaking of male fanclubs, where is your Number One Fan, AKA Wormtail?"

"Somewhere near Glasgow, I think."

"What's he doing in Scotland?" asked Sirius, curious.

"Visiting his grandmother; she's been ill. Now really, Sirius, tell me about France before smoke comes out of my ears."

Sirius waved his wand in the air. "Too late," he said, watching a light blue smoke trickle out of James's ears.

James muttered the counter-curse, which cut the trail of smoke short. "_Padfoot!_"

Sirius rolled his eyes. "I think you're growing old on me, Prongs. Well, if you really must know-"

"I must."

Sirius walked around the bar that separated him from James, "It's kind of a long story, why don't we go sit somewhere more comfortable, like your living room or out on the veranda?"

"Fine, the veranda, anything." James grabbed his butterbeer and led the way out.

Once they were installed outside, James seated in a high backed rocker and Sirius sprawled out like a prince on the lush daybed, butterbeer dangling from his outstretched hand, Sirius began to tell James about the whole trip – with select details cut out, of course.

He had barely gotten to the part of where Moody had told him about the mission when an mid-aged house elf dressed in a scarlet uniform of short pants and sweater appeared at James' elbow.

"Anything I get you, Master Potter? Master Black?" The house elf said, bending over into a deep bow, one hand on his spectacles to keep them from falling.

"It's Mr. Potter now, or James for that matter," said James unconcernedly. "But no, Minio, there's nothing we really n-" James stopped and stared at Minio as if he had just noticed him. "Minio! What are you doing here at _this_ house?"

Minio bowed again, but lower, and slowly, this time. "I is sorry to displease you, sir. But Miss Chang is asking me come to clean."

"She did _what_?" James's hazel eyes narrowed in anger. "She _knows_ that there aren't supposed to be house elves here!"

Minio began wringing his hands. "Me begs your pardon, Mister Potter, kind sir! But the Miss said she is wanting someone to clean! And she has Tessy and Bessy to come over also to helps!"

James closed his eyes and took a moment to think. He took a deep, calming breath. He did not want to scare the house elf. "Minio. Please cancel that."

"Oh, but sir! We has time, we can helps here..." Minio said timidly, looking at the floor.

"I don't like having indentured servants," said James, narrowing his eyes. "But I can't let you go because when I suggested it last Christmas, you fainted. Rosy didn't stop crying for weeks, and Tessy nearly drowned herself. So, instead, I have you all minding just the manor, while I live here. We have an arrangement."

Minio gave a low bow. "Yes sir, Mister Potter, sir." The poor house-elf looked utterly miserable in having displeased the young Potter.

"Oh, but before you leave!" said Sirius, calling to the elf from his comfortable, kingly position in the daybed. "Can you make me one of those strawberry daiquiri things that you do _so_ well?"

Minio's face brightened to a grin as he rushed over to the kitchen. "You see, Mister Potter, you _is_ needing me here!"

Ten minutes later, Minio had returned to the manor, but James face was still burning red as he watched Sirius, the daiquiri in hand.

"You don't have to get so upset about it, Prongsy," said Sirius, taking a loud slurp. "You didn't use to care about having house elves or not. You actually enjoyed it."

James leaned back in his chair. "I know. But now it angers me! Jinah_ knows_ how I feel about having house elves now. She knows it!" _How can I ever explain it to him that Lily made me see that it was wrong. _

"Face it James, now that you and Jinah are together, and she's living with you, she wants all the benefits of going out with a Potter. I'm surprised she hasn't been asking that the two of you move into the manor."

"She's already has."

Sirius snorted. "And?"

James face went stone cold. "The answer was 'no.'"

Sirius cocked his head. "Would you call me bold if I asked you why not?"

"I'd call you a lot of other things. If you must know - and I know you must - it's because I can't imagine living there with anyone other than my wife."

"You have a wife? And you never told me!"

For the hundredth time that day, James resisted the urge to throttle his best friend. "_Funny_. I mean, you know, my future wife. I know I'm probably going to get married someday, and it's the place that I want to be my home. With my wife, not a girlfriend. I want living there with a woman to be a new experience for me too, and romantic. You know, the whole carry-the-bride-across-the-threshold kind of thing," he said, blushing slightly.

"And what did Jinah do when you explained that to her?" asked Sirius, the corners of his lips twitching.

"She took me ring shopping."

Sirius barked out a laugh. "Merlin, your love life is complicated. Me, nothing serious for Sirius. But no, you mate, have to get into those messy, long-term things. The kind that gets complicated – really complicated, really quickly. Oh, if you only knew how much so!"

James looked up, alert. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh, nothing important. Anyway, you wanted to know about France?"

James noticed that there was something Sirius wasn't telling him, but he decided to hear the facts on France first. "Fine. How was the meeting with the security analyst?"

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "Let's just say she was... interesting."

"So it _was_ a she?"

_Just as I suspected. No wonder Sirius had no trouble at all._

Sirius's eyes widened excitedly. "Um, yeah."

A smile played on the corners of James' mouth, thinking he understood Sirius' expression. "Pretty?"

"Well, _you'd_ think she's beautiful." A sneaky smile appeared at the ends of Sirius' lips.

James chuckled. "No wonder you got me right near the Minister. Let me guess, you and the woman...?"

"Oh EW!" cried Sirius, choking on his crushed ice. "It'd be like sleeping with my sister!"

James rolled his eyes. "This coming from the morally-sound man who once hit on his cousin?"

"Hey! I hadn't seen Andromeda in years-" protested Sirius defensively.

"She's your favorite cousin!"

"Exactly!" sputtered Sirius, "Favorite cousins aren't supposed to get hot!"

"She was wearing a wedding ring!"

Sirius hung his head. "Can we get back to talking about France? _Please__?_"

James grinned. "Sure."

Sirius sighed. "The information is all written down. Your copy of the official documents and your itinerary should arrive by owl soon."

"Already got them. There's nothing else you need to tell me?" asked James, again instinctively feeling there was something more.

"Just that, well, are you sure that you want to take Jinah?"

James raised an eyebrow at him.

"'Cause Madeleine Le Vau is going to be there," added Sirius hastily, wanting to give James a reason, "and the consensus is that she is _gorgeous_, mate."

James' features hardened. "Don't tell me that you seduced Madeleine? She's a friend of the _family_–"

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Please. I did nothing, I didn't even _see_ her this time. Anyway, you'll be seated next to her."

"That's great, I haven't seen her for years! It'll be nice catching up, plus it'll keep me near her father, whom I'm supposed to protect."

Sirius snickered. "I'm sure your darling Jinah will just _love_ the fact that you'll be talking to one of the richest and prettiest French witches. Still don't know how you put up with her..."

"Most of the time, she's great. But then, at social events or what-have-you, I feel like some prize bull at a fair. Kind of like a trophy wife, you know, just the other way around."

Sirius smiled, rolling his eyes. "Just don't tell me you didn't see it coming! That's the kind of girl she is; likes to show off her catches."

James scowled at him. "Are you trying to tell me that the only reason she goes out with me is because of my family name?"

"No, but it's part of the James Potter package. Weren't you considered a 'Bachelor of the Year' a year ago in _Witch Weekly_?"

James stood up. "You know, Padfoot, I think I should start getting ready."

Sirius stood up as well, draining the little that was left of his beverage. Just as he was leaving, Sirius turned back. "What are you planning to wear to the Ball?"

"Oh, the usual. A set of dress robes."

Sirius eyes widened. "Don't tell me I forgot to mention it."

James looked ready to kill. "Mention what, Padfoot?"

"It's a Muggle Ball."

"What are you saying?" James said, an uneasy feeling coming over him.

"Muggle-wear."

"Is this your way of telling me I'm wearing a tuxedo?"

"Yes. Don't hate me."

"Merlin!" cried James, his good mood ruined. "I hate them as much as you hate bananas."

"_Thank you!_" cried out Sirius, throwing up his hands in exasperation. "I knew it wasn't such a hard a thing to remember-"

"I wonder if Jinah knows about the dress code?" asked James, cutting off what he knew from experience would be a litany on the ills and evils of the yellow fruit.

Sirius snickered. "She probably knew about the Ball months before you did. And, she's probably ordered several different gowns for tonight, especially tailored."

"Actually, no. She just went shopping now."

Sirius patted James arm. "For such a smart wizard, you can be so naïve sometimes, mate. She probably went to pick up previously-ordered gowns, and pay for them with your gold. Then she'll head over to Harrods for accessories. She'll need a purse, shoes, jewelry, gloves... for each gown."

James clenched and unclenched his jaw. "I should just tell her that my money has run out... that would teach her. Or I could start to make her pay for her own damn gloves."

"As if you'd ever do that, you chivalrous Gryffindor."

James sighed.

"Ha! You see! You are so weak when it comes to women, and –"

"Don't you have somewhere to _be_?" James said, rather rudely. Sirius's last remark had been a bit below the belt.

Sirius looked at James, and immediately understood. "Apologies, mate. See you later."

And with that, he was gone.

**

* * *

Paris, France

* * *

**

Lily had just stepped out of the shower. She dried herself off quickly, then reached the large glass vial containing the Polyjuice Potion Marlene had prepared for her. It was segmented with marks indicating how much she should drink every hour.

She opened the other vial, extracted the single hair carefully, and dipped it into the potion. It bubbled and gurgled, turning into a sickly pale blue shade. Lily pinched her nose, and began drinking the potion. Actually, forcing it down was more like it. Ignoring the taste, Lily drank the first hour's dose.

As small tremors went up and down inside her, Lily tried to control them long enough to put the vial on the counter carefully. As soon as she finished that, a burning sensation appeared in her chest and spread out all over her. She fell down to the floor, holding her hands to her face as she felt it change.

A minute later, it was all over.

Lily took her time getting ready. She did her makeup carefully, wanting to look classy and elegant as befitted her new... identity.

She swept up the straight blond hair, pining it with the thin gold brooches her parents had given her for her seventeenth birthday.

_I need some more accessories... _she thought as she fiddled though her jewelry box. Not that she had much to chose from, but surely she had something.

Her hand paused as she spotted a bracelet that she hadn't worn in years. Five years, to be exact.

Not that she hadn't wanted to wear it for those years. It just made her think of the might-have-beens.

Surely it would be foolish to wear it tonight... what if _he_ saw it?

_Although... he might not recognize it. It has, after all, been five years..._

* * *

They had been walking around the lake. James had wanted to spend some time alone with her, away from schoolwork, Quidditch, and their friends.

_Afterward, they lied down on the grass at the banks. Well, he was sitting, she was laying with her on his lap. He tickled her, teased her, and hadmade her laugh._

_ And, of course, they had kissed, many, many times._

_Suddenly he got serious, and had pulled something out of his robes pocket._

_"Happy Birthday," he said, taking her hand and placing a small velvet box into her open palm. _

_"James!" she gasped after she had opened the it._

_And there it was. A delicate gold bracelet, a tiny ruby decorating each link. _

_She sat straight up. "I can't accept this -"_

_But James had laid a finger to her lips. Just was whenever his skin touched her flesh, she felt her skin tingle at the point of contact, her breath become less steady._

_He took advantage of her silence, slid the bracelet out of the case, and clasped it onto her hand.  
_

_"Thank you," she had whispered in defeat. Smiling, he had leaned forward to capture her lips with his - tenderly, gently, intriguingly.  
_

_"Do you know why I chose rubies?" James asked once he'd pulled away._

_"Gryffindor colors?"_

_James had given her a the lazy, boyish smile that she loved. "Okay, I have to admit that's partly true. But, well, I had originally thought of getting you emeralds, because of your beautiful green eyes..."_

_Lily had looked up at him, her aforementioned eyes catching his hazel ones. _

_"But I decided not to." He kissing her cheek, and then had held her gaze with his. "I realized that your entrancing eyes would make any green jewel seem like nothing more than a piece of coloured glass."_

_

* * *

_

Lily broke out of her reverie, and came back to this time. She brushed the tears that pricked her eyes.

_Okay, so what if it had been corny? _

_It had been real._

She looking at herself in the mirror and did a double take. The eyes that looked back at here were not brilliant green. They were the blue of sapphires.

_Edouard's eyes. _

_Well, part of his genes, anyway._

She gazed at the rest of her, taking it all in. The shoulder-length blonde hair, pinned back. Her medium length body, which in comparison to her normally petite size, made her feel gigantic. Her body was sun-kissed and voluptuous, her face aristocratic, with a small nose, perfect lips, and expressive eyes.

The gown she was wearing was low cut, completely sleeveless; the lavender colour dress would have been impossible to wear with her own complexion and hair. The bodice was quite fitted, and the satin skirt was many-layered, and flowing. It was a perfect fit to her new body.

Which, was to be expected. After all, her friend Madeleine had sent it to her.

And it was she whom Lily was impersonating. Madeleine Le Vau. Her fiancée's cousin. The French Minister of Magic's daughter.

A shiver ran up Lily's spine.

* * *

A/N: I hit 100 reviews for this story so far! I love you all, thanks so much for all the wonderfull things you say, and I usually reply to any questions you have by me sending you an email, so go ahead!

R/R!


	5. You Won't See Me

N/A: Well, quick thing, I finished my math lesson (Hallelujah!) and even though I'll be in school soon, I will have plenty of time to make frequent updates! Thank YOU so MUCH for your reviews!

**

* * *

**

**THE BEWITCHMENT OF JAMES POTTER**

**Chapter 5: You Won't See Me  
**

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* * *

**

_Oh Merlin._

James stood with his wand at ready; yet he was momentarily inactive, his brain unable to quite fully comprehend what his eyes were beholding._  
_

_This can't be happening!_

Panicked witches and wizards were fleeing, tripping over hemlines, faces showing blind terror.

_This can't be real._

Screams of fear and pain reverberated from within its cavernous walls as many did not make it to the exits.

And black hooded wizards surrounded the High Table, their faces covered by ghostly masks.

_How did everything go so wrong? _

James looked over at 'Madeleine,' noticing her pupils dilated from the adrenaline surging through her body.

Their eyes met, fear rampant on both faces.

_How did it all go to hell?_

_

* * *

_

The day had started out well enough.

Lily had arrived at le château de Versailles, the French Ministry of Magic Headquarters, exactly on time. She immediately noticed Marlene standing near the open entrance doors.

She walked over to where her Scottish friend was gazing intently at the witches and wizards entering through the doors, her dark grey robes swaying in the breeze. "Waiting for someone?"

Marlene turned around casually, but when her eyes fell on Lily she did a double take. "Madeleine?" she said questioningly, searching Lily's eyes.

"No. It's me." Lily resisted the urge to rub her throat, disconcerted that it was producing a voice that was not her own.

"You'll need to practice the accent," said Marlene, her dark eyes taking in the whole look. "But, damn, you look just like her."

"Zat ees, after all, ze point," said Lily, trying to mimic Madeleine's patrician French accent, and wishing the situation weren't so uncomfortable_._ "Zere, how ees zees?"

"Well. It'll have to do."

"Zanks."

Marlene nudged her head towards the back of the castle. "Madeleine's waiting for us at your office."

Marlene and Lily had become acquainted with Madeleine Le Vau two years ago when they had started working at the Ministry. Madeleine had fought tooth and nail for them to stop calling her 'Mademoiselle Le Vau,' and in a very short time, they had become friends.

As they arrived at Lily's office, they noticed an unusual amount of guards at the door. Inside though, were only Dupois and Royer, Madeleine's ever-present bodyguards. Madeleine herself was sitting at Lily's desk, poring over parchments, her sleek blond hair framing her blue-eyed face. As soon as Lily and Marlene stepped in, Madeleine stood up and walked towards them.

"You look ezactly like me!" She kissed Lily and Marlene on both cheeks rather hurriedly before she proceeded to circle Lily. "_C'est impossible! _I cannot believe I 'ave just kissed maself!"

Lily felt her skin began to crawl; it was a sick feeling, almost as if she had stolen Madeleine's flesh.

Madeleine put her hands on her hips and examined Lily critically. "'Old your 'ead up 'igher! And we must get you more accessories!"

"Well, you certainly don't need me to hang around," said Marlene, heading toward the door. "Catch you tomorrow!"

Lily tried to resist Madeleine's attentions. "No, there's really no need..." she protested, her fake accent forgotten.

"Don' forget to espeak like me!" said Madeleine, pulling out a small wooden chest.

Madeleine opened the small drawer. "'Eere, you need a necklace." She reached over and draped a beautiful antique gold necklace around Lily's neck. "Oh, you should wear zees earrings as well." She passed Lily two dangles encrusted with rubies and diamonds, handling them as casually as if they were coins. "Oh, and Lily, Edouard's engagement ring you should probably leave 'eere. I can just imagine what ze _Daily Prophet_, _Le Monde Magique_, and ze uzzer vizarding papers 'oould say... since it 'oold appear _I_ am engaged!"

Lily fingered her engagement ring. The 2.5 carat, emerald-cut diamond had always felt too large and unnatural (she was always worrying about it getting stolen), but she was nonetheless reluctant to remove it. She slipped it off slowly, and handed it to Madeleine tentatively. "Guard this with your life."

"_Absolutement._" Madeleine was opening a velvet box. "Gloves?"

As Lily put them on, her breath caught in her throat. She'd worn nice clothes and gowns, but _this_... She didn't even want to think about how much each piece was worth. Or how much the entire outfit was worth.

"Don' worry about zem," said Madeleine, apparently reading Lily's mind. "Come. Papa is waiting for you."

They went through the private passageway that led to the back of the castle. A carriage was waiting outside, and the footman stepped down to Lily in.

"Take care of mon père!" called Madeleine, waving as she walked away.

Nervous about the long - and expensive - hemline, Lily gratefully accepted the footman's outstretched hand and entered the carriage, where Minister Le Vau and his escorts were waiting. Even though he was a man of short height, and his light brown hair was beginning to recede, he exuded an atmosphere of self-confidence.

"Ah, there you are," stated Le Vau. Even while seated, his tuxedo-clad figure constituted the very picture of aristocratic refinement. Although Minister Le Vau was French, he had studied abroad for many years, and spoke with a crisp English accent.

Lily tried not to fidget as she seated herself.

_I've never been on this side of security protocol before._

They drove on in silence to the tiled square where the Minister and his large escort could travel as one. The Portkey spell activated, and a second later, they had arrived in the deserted moor only five minutes away from the town of Windsor, the town where Windsor Castle was located. And Windsor Castle is where, by the grace of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the Welcoming Ball was to be held.

The Windsor towers loomed in the background, darkened by the shadow cast by the setting sun.

A wave of nostalgia washed over Lily as she remembered that this was her homeland. She had not returned in three years.

And then she remembered what would come next. Her heart began to pound.

_Is James __here yet? _

_

* * *

_

"Jinah! Hurry up!"

_Damn it._

"I'm coming! I just need to find my other shoe!"

"Then Summon it!"

_Duh._

"No, it'll get scuffed if it hits anything on its way to me!"

"Then find it already!" James thundered back up the stairs to the bedroom. _Witches!_ _If it's not the hair, it's the makeup. Then they can't find a shoe. Or a bloody glove. And then, of course, they're always late. Which makes me__ late._

"Ja-ames!" she shrieked from inside the bedroom. "I still can't find it!"

James winced at the shrill noise, and then Disapparated from the hall, and Apparated in the bedroom, saving a grand total of 2.4 seconds. "Need a hand-?" he began, but stopped abruptly when he saw what she was wearing.

James felt his eyes bug out of his head.

He didn't quite know where to look. The backless slinky black dress. The neckline - or lack there of - it went farther down than James thought physically possible. But that wasn't the worst. Her wrists and neck were weighed down with loads of jewellery. One of her ankles was in an impossibly high set of platform sandals while she tiptoed around with the other as she searched for the missing shoe.

She looked good, no doubt.

In a top-billing hooker kind of way.

"How do I look?" asked Jinah, her voice low and sultry.

A knot caught in James throat. He didn't know whether to be angry, understanding, irritated... All he knew was that Jinah could not be allowed to leave his house wearing - or rather, _not_ wearing - those clothes.

"It's, er… interesting."

Tears appeared in Jinah's eyes. "You don't like it?"

"No!" _What was the first clue? _"I mean, yes. I mean," James cleared his throat, "I like it, I really do. But this is a ball."

"So?"

"You need a _gown_."He hurried over to the walk-in closet. "Gowns." When he opened the doors, an assortment of gowns was waiting. "Why don't you wear this one?" He pulled out a red velvet frock.

"Velvet, James? It's summer, really." Having left the search to him, she turned to face the dresser mirror and unscrewed a pot of red lip gloss.

James tried to keep his temper. "What about this one?" He yanked out a long black silk dress with a high neckline.

"Am I going to a ball or a burial?"

James clenched and unclenched his jaw. "This one, then," he said, having pulled out a yellow gown.

"That one makes me look peaky."

James took a deep breath. "Then why do you keep it?"

"To have a gown in each colour."

James eyes bugged out once again. "You have a gown in every colour?"

_Insane. Deranged. Charge-account-crazy witch. _"Then I'm sure you can find something to wear."

"Some are out of style-"

"I don't care!" yelled James. "Find something appropriate and suitable - you have two minutes!" Unable to restrain himself, he childishly slammed the door on his way out, and stormed down the stairs, through the kitchen, past the sitting area, and out onto the veranda.

_Why do I put up with it? _James thought frantically as he rushed to the guardrail, resting his arms on it.

He took a deep breath.

_Tonight is her last chance. She'd better have a nice gown that at least covers her legs. And breasts. Those things were desperately seeking a way out.  
_

James leaned on the rail, breathing deeply at the thought.

_Every girl I've dated is turning out to be the same. Demanding, over-sensitive, stupid, manipulative, needy, expensive, whiny, and way too self-involved. And they all treat my like the trophy wife. ARM CANDY! _

_The one they love for their family to meet, love to go out with so that everyone can see who she's dating._

James couldn't help but laugh aloud at the thought.

_Ok, so maybe my head is getting a little big. _

_But really - eligible young ladies, say the magazines. Bloody hell! A pack of ravenous wolves, the lot of them._

_Well... except one, of course._

James sighed. _Why am I thinking about her so much lately?  
_

_Mysteries of the mind._

James stretched, and happened to glance at his wristwatch. The two minutes had long passed.

_Jinah had better be ready or I'll pull her out the door by her expensively cut and fashionably styled hair._

_Okay, I wouldn't do that. But the idea has its merits..._

Sighing again, he sauntered up the stairs, dispirited.

"I hope you're ready," he called out as he entered the bedroom. Dresses and gowns, slips and lingerie, hat boxes and shoe boxes, were littered in and outside of the large walk-in closet. Strewn all around were also open parcels and shopping bags, presumably from Jinah's last boutique raid. "Er... I assume you were able to find something."

"Yes." Jinah was sitting on the edge of the bed, her back to him, sulking, again.

"Well, stand up; let me have a look."

Jinah did so, and turned around. She was wearing a long-sleeved, green satin gown. The V-neckline accentuated her thin neck, and the full skirt suited her average height.

Something in the emerald colour of it caught his eye. "New, is it?"

"I found it in the back of your closet, I thought you bought it for me?"

"I didn't." _Not for you anyway. _James had recognized the gown, it was one he had bought for one of his old girlfriends, but had ended up not giving it to her. _Patricia, Pamela, what was her name?_ The colour was too much like a certain pair of eyes he used to know all too well. "Ready to go?"

"Sure." Jinah was still sulking.

"Oh, come on, stop it."

She tilted her head, and stood up, glaring at him. "You were rude and mean and insensitive!" she said, with what James was pretty sure were crocodile tears appearing in her eyes.

_Ah, the crimes of the century._

"Jinah, please, I'm sorry," _(Not!)_ "I'm just a little stressed out because we're late," he lied.

"Oh." She looked at the gold watch James had given her for her birthday. "Oh Merlin! This is great!"

James tried to avoid being 'mean and rude and insensitive' again and checked his temper. "Pray tell, why is being late great?"

"We get to make an entrance that everyone will notice! Let's have a cocktail or two, and then the timing should be perfect."

_How did I not predict this?  
_

"Jinah, if you are going to the Welcoming Ball with me, you are leaving now or... or... or I'll leave and take the invitation with me."

"You wouldn't!"

James smirked, crossing his arms across his chest stubbornly. "Try me."

Jinah gasped.

James stretched his hand. "Coming?"

She had barely said the word, "Fine," when James had grasped her hand, and forced her to travel with him by Side-Along Apparition.

Twenty minutes later, after arriving at Windsor Castle, after passing all the security checkpoints, and having their invitations checked and wands documented and collected (except James, who had a special pass to keep his), they were escorted by one of the butlers into the ballroom for the reception.

They joined the line to be greeted by the host, Her Royal Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. James couldn't help but smile at Jinah's face as she curtseyed before the Queen. Even though her family was wealthy, she had never been to a British state event.

_Nor is she likely to be invited to another._

They moved on, and James introduced Jinah to various high level international officials and other persons of note, and exchanged glances with the witches and wizards he knew were there as security forces, as he was. He nodded to the British Ministry officials as they walked by, and also noticed two of his friends, Caradoc Cearborn and Fabian Prewett, also on duty.

Then the ballroom doors opened to the adjacent State Dining Hall, and the guest filtered in to find their seats. James and Jinah made their way to the High Table, placed at the very centre of the room, and occupying almost its entire length. The other four tables were half its length, and were set two in a row, parallel to the main table.

James pulled out Jinah's chair, and she sat down daintily. Her eyes were wide from looking around, exclaiming when she recognized someone famous or important. James took his place slightly up the table from her, and looked around curiously. Actually, it was more than curiosity - he was taking in the room, and analyzing it, his mind on the diagrams he had studied earlier.

_Right, _James looked up and down the table, identifying faces and recalling where different people would be sitting. _The head of the table is for the Queen, and to her right will be Minister Millicent Bagnold. Closest to the Minister will be the guest of honour - Minister Le Vau. Moving down the table there should be the members of British royalty, and then the Le Vau families, various lords and their ladies, counts, countesses, and so on._

James had been pleased to find out he would be sitting beside Madeleine Le Vau. Next to her would be Stefano Friccione, whom James knew to be the oldest son of an Italian count, and to Stefano's right was Jinah. Stefano, if he remembered correctly, was considered by many of the secretaries in the Department of International Magical Cooperation to be 'drop-dead gorgeous' or 'a dessert of a wizard'. James had met him during one of his family's trip to Italy, and they occasionally ran into each other at the Ministry.

_Ah, there he is. _James thought as he saw a tall wizard with curly, dark chestnut hair and tan skin arrive. He stood up. "Stefano!"

Stefano Friccione turned. "James Potter, _verita_?" he said as the two of them shook hands.

James nodded. "And may I introduce Jinah Chang," he said, extending her a hand for her to stand.

She glanced at Stefano. James could tell she highly approved of his Roman looks and Italian tailoring.

Stefano, for his part, was also looking at Jinah, quite lewdly, and not at all discreetly. He kissed her hand very slowly.

Normally, James would have been offended – he was slightly the jealous type. But tonight, for once, he didn't care - the kiss actually seemed rather cliché. He did, however, wait to watch Jinah's reaction.

Jinah smiled and fluttered her eyelashes. "Pleasure's all mine."

_That just about settles it._

Stefano helped her into her seat, and engaged her into a conversation on Merlin-knew-what. James wasn't paying attention; hearing a commotion, he looked up to see a gathering of people at the entrance.

The Le Vaus had entered the State Dining Hall.

A formal music piece began to play, signalling all to rise.

First the Queen herself gave the official welcoming to the Le Vaus and the other French Ministers. She headed over to the High Table; once she sat down, everyone else followed suit. James shook hands with Le Vau, exchanging greetings.

Turning back, he noticed a blonde figure dressed in a lavender gown was making her way to the High Table.

As soon as she arrived to the Table, he stood up. "Madeleine!"

Before Madeleine had a chance to say anything, he had kissed her on both cheeks. "It's been a long time, hasn't it?" he said, a broad smile on his face.

"Y-Yes, a long t-time," Madeleine stammered, her smile trembling.

James furrowed his brow and smiled. "Madeleine, you're shaking! Are you alright?"

"I am fine, zank you. Ees jus' zat... eet has certainly been a long trip."

James ushered her into her chair. "Tell me, then, why you haven't visited me all these years?

"Ow long 'as it been again?" she asked.

"Over eight years since you've been to the manor."

"Oh."

_Is it just me, or is does her voice sound different? Not her voice but... well, her English must have gotten better._

"Well, eet is good to see you now. And zat young woman?" asked Madeleine, motioning her hand delicately towards Jinah, who was enraptured with Stefano.

"She's my... girlfriend." For some reason, it was incredibly hard to tell Madeleine that.

Madeleine's eyes widened. "Girlfriend?"

"Yes."_ Not that you can tell at the moment, by the way she's ogling Stefano_, thought James, slightly embarrassed._  
_

_Girlfriend._ The word echoed in Lily's mind as if her head were nothing but a cavernous cave._ Well, look at yourself, _the little voice in her head was telling her._ Engaged, to be married!_

"Madeleine, are you alright?"

No answer.

"Madeleine?" James repeated.

"Y-Yes?" Lily responded, remembering that she was currently answering to the name of 'Madeleine.'

"You look a little pale." His eyebrows were furrowed in concern, and Lily found herself gazing up into his hazel eyes. _Oh Merlin. _

"I'll b-be fine." _Not if you keep looking at me like that!_

At that moment, all the servers moved forward and set the first course on the tables.

* * *

Lily didn't even notice what she ate. Try as she might to keep her eyes away from James, every few minutes she'd realise she was staring straight at him.

_He's changed._

_I mean, it's still James, but there are so many tiny little differences. He's older... His jaw line is firmer and squarer._

Conversing with him turned out to be nearly impossible, distracted as she was by her examinations. When James had asked her something like how her family was, Lily had been able to get a truly good look at his hazel eyes and take in their shape and expression. _His eyes have changed as well! The colour is still the same, the warm hazel, practically honey... but he's grown up somehow, and you can tell it in his eyes. harder than they used to be... guarded._

_But his hair! _Lily almost giggled aloud when she looked at it. James wore his hair a little shorter than before, but it was every bit as untamed and messy as she remembered._ His prissy girlfriend must have fits over it! _

However, as they continued talking, Lily was surprised to find herself beginning to feel at ease. She realized that since James didn't know it was really her, it didn't have to be awkward. She even ventured to make playful conversation with him.

"Ah, James, I zink you are in danger of losing a girlfriend!" she said, nodding her head towards Jinah and Stefano, who were totally enraptured in each other.

James moved his head closer to Lily's, and whispered, "Between old friends - it wouldn't be much of a loss."

"James!" Inside, she was grinning.

"Well, any woman who has the balls to flirt so audaciously, so publicly, under the nose of her boyfriend, cannot possibly be much of a loss."

Lily gave James an analyzing glance, and was able to perceive that even though James pretended to be nonchalant, he was nonetheless wounded by his girlfriend's brazenness.

"Anyway, enough about me," said James, taking a sip from his wineglass, "what about you? Any dashing young men in the picture?"

"No. None." In _Madeleine_'s case, this was the truth.

James smiled lazily. "Come on, you can tell me. A beautiful and, dare I say rich, Frenchman? I won't believe there's no one."

Lily was saved from having to answer when a mid-aged witch sitting across the table joined their conversation.

"Bonsoir, Monsieur Potter. May I vouch for my niece?"

Lily eyes widened as she recognized the perfectly coiffed hair and immaculate porcelain face of the speaker.

A pair of light blue orbs - the older, faded version of Edouard and Madeleine's eyes - met hers.

It was Madeleine's aunt, Le Vau's sister. More importantly, she was Edouard's mother.

Her eyes, although of the same shape, had none of Edouards' warmth and charisma.

"Unfortunately," continued the stately witch, "my son and niece 'ave renounced ze Le Vau tradition of marrying cousins, calling it _passé_. As far as I know, she tells you ze truth."

By the way Madame Renoir spoke, Lily realized James and Mrs. Renoir must be somewhat familiar with each other.

"Really?" asked James interestedly. "And is Edouard married yet?"

Lily felt ready to faint. _How could I possibly have neglected that she was seated at this table?_

She cursed the small world of wizarding aristocracy for about the millionth time in her life. _  
_

"No," said Mrs. Renoir, but she leaned forward. "No, 'ee is not married yet. 'Ee ees, 'owever, engaged." Her face had taken on an aggrieved look. "It is most unfortunate! I 'oould be 'appy for 'eem to settle down with a nice noble girl of a good wizarding family."

"Let me guess. No title!" A smile played on the corners of James's mouth, and Lily felt quite happy to see him teasing Mrs. Renoir. The woman had always been rather cool towards her.

"Worse," responded Madame Renoir, her voice solemn. "She eez a Muggle-born."

Lily's smile disappeared into oblivion.

"Really?" James said, and Lily saw his jaw clench then relax. "Fancy that! Well, this must be at least an improvement for you - the last time I saw him, his opinion of marriage was that he would never do it, never produce an heir and simply live forever."

Madame Renoir shook her head. "I thought you 'oould understand! I remember when your dear mère - may she rest in peace - was trying to fix you with ze daughter of a duke, and you said no, your excuse being zat she was Muggle-born."

Lily began to feel sick to her stomach. She knew that dating her had been an adjustment, but still... _How could James ever have been like that?_

"I was sixteen," snapped James. "and that was merely an excuse I used. I'm not proud of it."

Lily breathed a sigh of relief.

Madame Renoir sniffed. "Well, I still am 'oping my son will change 'ees mind."

Lily gasped audibly. James turned to look at her, a look of worry on his face. "Madeleine?"

She recovered. "_Pardonnez-moi_."

"Ah, I 'ad forgotten," said Mrs. Renoir, looking at the witch she thought to be her niece. "You and ze girl are friends."

Lily and Madame Renoir locked eyes.

"Who is the lucky fiancée'?" asked James, noticing the tension between the two of them.

"I would razer not speak ze name. 'Ee might, after all, not marry 'er and zis way ze embarrassment will be less."

James was visibly annoyed. "Pardon, madame. But some of the cleverest and bravest witches I've ever known were Muggle-born."

"Zat is what Edouard says about ees fianceé," said Madame Renoir, narrowing her eyes, which were as blue as her blood. "Anybody can be smart and 'eadstrong, but not everyone can 'ave class."

"I disagree with you. Being headstrong is not the same as being brave. In fact," he continued, his jaw set, "I believe that true nobility comes from bravery itself. Not some title a person gets just for being born."

The woman's lips thinned. "You are most impertinent."

James bowed his head. "I only defend my views."

"'Owever wrong zey may be."

"That is your opinion – my views are mine to have," said James, and the conversation was over. Mrs. Renoir turned to speak to someone on her left.

Lily was thrilled about James's speaking back to Madame Renoir.

"James, I cannot believe you spoke to 'er like zat!"

James looked over at her, and smiled. "You know she is wrong."

"Without a doubt," she said, grinning. "But still, you were positively antagonistic!"

"I like antagonizing her. She was incredibly nasty towards me in my youth."

"What did she do?"

"She was always malicious to me and a perfect hypocrite - if my parents were present, she was the perfect lady."

"But why?"

"She knew that I was always more popular than her son."

Lily rolled her eyes. "So?"

James looked at her, surprised. "Well, you know how it is. Here I was, this British bloke, summering in France, and yet somehow the center of attention, especially if Sirius came along too - you remember how he is! And you know better than anyone that these kinds of connections that determine future prospects. She would threaten me, and spread vicious rumours, and finally, I grew sick of her and from then on my parents and I vacationed in Spain instead."

Lily looked at James blankly. "You let her run you out of France? I 'ad no idea you would let someone like zat win."

James raised his eyebrow, and Lily wished she hadn't said that.

"No. I was tired of always going to the same place every summer anyway. I would have even rather stayed at Ar Nurtalë than come back to France. No offense."

"_Pas problème. _But what is zis Er Nurtaly place?"

James turned to look at her. His eyes were alert and completely piercing. He scanned her face. "How can you not remember?"

"I'm sorry," said Lily, flushing slightly in irritation.

"You know. My family's manor."

"Oh." Lily felt quite foolish. James had told her about the manor many times... _how did I not know the name? _"What does it mean?"

James raised an eyebrow. "Have you ever read Tolkien?"

_Yes_, Lily thought, _but would Madeleine have? Probably not. _"No."

"Well, it's made with his elf-language. Roughly, it means 'Noble Hiding.'"

_Something's not right about her._

First of all, her voice. He had listened closely, and it sounded the same, but not quite. Her accent was decidedly off.

The dinner being over, the waiters bent over to pick up all of the dishes from the last course.

And then not knowing the name of his manor... he was sure that Madeleine had visited him there after he had renamed it. And she had certainly lied about not having read Tolkien - he had forced Madeleine to read it when they were both fourteen. She had found it long-winded, but had fallen in love with Aragorn.

_So why did she say she hadn't?_

And then it hit him.

_It's not her._

James stood up abruptly. He turned to Madeleine. "Come with me."

She stood up slowly, careful not to walk on the long layers of satin of her lavender gown. "Where are we going? I 'ave duties 'eere."

He held his arm out. "Let me escort you to the hall for just one moment."

'Madeleine' nodded reluctantly.

Just as they turned a corner, she motioned to one of the security guards, who left to give them privacy.

James gripped the impostor's arm. "Who are you?"

The impersonator's lips parted. "W-What?"

"You aren't Madeleine Le Vau. Who are you?" he demanded, not releasing his hold on her arm. "Do not make me get out my wand!"

"I am an official of ze French Ministry," she said, trying to pull out of his grasp.

James didn't let her go. Instead, he twisted her arm and pulled her closer. "I don't believe you. Prove it."

She held up a tiny bottle she had hidden in a layer of satin in the gown. "Zis is a Polyjuice Potion, and eet ees authorized by Minister Le Vau 'eemself!"

"Let's say I believe you. What's your name and rank?"

The impostor didn't hesitate a second. "I am ze Senior Security Analyst!"

_If it is her, she's the one who talked to Padfoot. _"A young wizard from England visited your office yesterday night. His name?"

"Sirius Black," she snapped, wrenching her arm free. "I actually drove Sirius to ze Ministry myself."

"My friend would have never stepped a foot in a car." James' eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"Well, 'ee did. And he complained about it ze entire way."

James relaxed slightly. This woman was telling him the truth. "So, what _is_ your real name?"

"I 'oold rather not say."

"Normally, I wouldn't mind. But tonight, I'm in charge of security."

"No, _I _am in charge of security."

"You are not. You are here to _increase_ security, that is all. My office is the one on the look out for–" James stopped suddenly when a loud scream erupted from inside the hall.

James and Lily exchanged an alarmed glance, understanding passing between the two. They drew out their wands, and rushed back into the Hall, their wands held high.

* * *

In the moments that had transpired in their absence, hell had broken loose.

Chaos.

Witches and wizards were rushing out in several directions, trying to escape.

_This can't be happening!_

Hooded wizards surrounded the High Table.

_How did everything go so wrong? _

Lily looked at James, adrenaline surging through her body.

Their eyes met, fear manifested on both faces.

Marble and stone rained down from shattered columns and the ruined ceiling; the masked wizards shouted curses and hexes, flashes of green and red light erupting from the many wands they weilded.

People all around the hall were falling; those on the floor were crying, shaking, twitching from the Cruciatus Curse.

Others laid silent with death.

Lily reached out and grabbed James, pulling him into one of the servant doorways. They both crouched on the floor behind a fallen column, peering into the Hall.

She counted ten hooded wizards were causing the chaos.

_No. Fourteen. At least._

James was shocked to see that the witches and wizards still seated at the High Table were just sitting there. Unmoving.

"What have they done to them?" he hissed to Lily.

"I don't know! But we need to get everyone out!"

Just as Lily was inwardly cursing the cumbersome fabrics of her dress, all of the doors in the Hall slammed shut with such a violence that cracks surged through the old wood.

Lily ran over and yanked at one of the doors, but it was sealed tight.

_We're locked in!_

James jumped up and knocked her down behind a statue; a jet of green light flew past.

"Stay down!" James yelled as she struggled to stand up.

"I was trained as well as any Auror!" she yelled back. "I can handle myself!"

James looked desperate, torn between doing his duty to his work and his chivalry to protect. "Fine! Follow me!" he yelled, making his way behind shattered statues.

Damning men for their chauvinism, Lily followed James as they crouched.

"I have several friends here!" James whispered to her. "And my girlfriend -"

"I saw her leave." Lily turned to the left, and saw two of her fellow ministry workers lying down, their eyes open and expressionless. She had no time to see if they were dead or just Stunned.

"If only we could tell people to just stay down!" said Lily, as one of the Dark wizards hit an elderly wizard with the Cruciatus Curse.

_Damn it!  
_

"Let's just Stun whomever we can!" James hissed, "then we don't have to worry about whom we hit."

"Fine!" And so they did, aiming at everyone but mostly trying to hit one of the hooded wizards.

James watched her immediately hit three of the wizards in quick succession.

James Stunned two more, at the same time trying to protect his new partner.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Caradoc duelling two Dark wizards at the same time.

"Too many damn Unforgivables!" hissed James as he watched a Russian delegate writhing on the floor, tortured by a wizard weilding the Cruciatus Curse.

"We can't fight them all," pointed out Lily, hitting the hooded wizard squarely in the chest.

"I'll fight whom I can. Stay here." James crouched, ready to spring out and start Stunning like his life depended on it, which it did.

"No!" Lily cried, pulling him back. Another jet of green light flew past them, blasting apart a picture on the wall behind them. "Do you _ever_ look before you leap?"

James tried to find something to say in protest, but all he could say was, "You're British."

"Of course I'm British, but that's a stupid thing to say when we're getting Killing curses shot at us."

James didn't have a chance to reply.

The Hall had gone completely black.


	6. Helter Skelter

Thank you so so much for the reviews! I'm sorry it took me a while to update - here we go!

* * *

**THE BEWITCHMENT OF JAMES POTTER**

**Chapter Six: Helter Skelter  
**

**

* * *

**

Darkness.

Utter, total darkness.

_Shit!_

James couldn't see a damned thing other than the flashes of light, the paths of spells launched throughout the room.

A green flash of light cracked in the air above him.

_Too close._

A flash of light across the room let him know another jet of green luminescence had been unleashed._  
_

Without hesitation, James reached out and forcefully knocked the Madeleine look-alike down, protecting her with his body.

"Ouch!" cried out Lily, rubbing her cheek where she had hit it the hard marble floor. "I was ducking anyway!"

"I'm sorry!" he whispered quickly. 

She was now lying face-down beneath him; with one arm on either side of the witch, he was keeping his weight off of her yet could feel her back rising against him as she breathed. Both of them suddenly became acutely aware of the rather awkward position in which they had found themselves.

Just as Lily was about to ask James to move (_I'm a well-trained witch, I hardly need his protection!_), she felt tingles race across her body. Oddly, she felt as if she were shrinking, a seriously disconcerting sensation that made her feel sick to her stomach.

_Something feels different, _she thought, clutching her throat. As she moved, it seemed that Madeleine's gown suddenly seemed too big.

James had felt the witch squirming and instinctively knew something was wrong. Without thinking, he ran his hands over the parts of her body which he could reach easily.

"What do you think you're _doing_?"

James froze.

_Oh Merlin. _

_My hand is on her arse._

He was immensely glad that it was dark and that the witch wasn't able to see his furious blush.

"Well? Are you going to get your hand off of me or what?" hissed Lily between clenched teeth. She didn't know what annoyed her more - James touching her _there_ without permission or the fact that her skin was tingling under her dress where his hand was still touching her.

James hand flew off of her as if burned. He began to apologize when his mind suddenly registered something.

_Her voice is different._ "Is the Polyjuice effect over?"

Lily felt paralyzed as it dawned on her that that was precisely what had occurred_. This can't be happening._

"Um… I have more…" _Yes, I do have more! _Lily realised, and began frantically searching through the folds of her dress for the vial containing the potion. "Damn."

"What?"

"It must have fallen out of my pocket," whispered Lily, avoiding the temptation to add expletives. She squinted in the dark, trying to make something out, but it was absolutely impossible.

However, although the whole room was pitch dark, the sounds were intensified.

Blood-curling screams echoed under the high ceilings, blasts reverberated from the walls, and screams ripped through the air.

_A living hell._

_We have to stop this!__  
_

"I'm going to see if-" began Lily, squirming under James' body.

"Don't you dare move," he hissed, letting more of his weight on the witch to prevent her from leaving. "I can't see."

"Obviously."

_There is something about that voice._

"Do I know you?" he blurted out loudly, right in her hear.

"Sh!" Lily tried to swat his arm, but missed. "Be quiet!"

Her heart was doing a nervous little dance in her ribcage.

_She purposely avoided my question. _

James said nothing, but Lily could feel him glaring at her in the dark.

"We have to do something." He rolled off of her and slowly came to his knees. He found her hand in the dark and guided her to her knees as well. "Aim wherever the flashes seem to be coming from," directed James, his experience as an Auror coming into play. "Especially the green ones!" he began standing again, but Lily reached out and yanked him down again.

"NO! You cannot aim in the dark! You might hit someone at the High Table!"

"It's not like I'm going to be doing Killing curses!" James whispered hurriedly. "Come on!"

"Fine!"

They both sprung up in unison, and began shooting hexes and Stunning spells.

"If it looks like two wizards are duelling, don't aim there!" yelled James. "You might distract one of ours -"

Lily resisted the urge to hex _him. _"I know!"

Part of her frustration was due to the fact that she was having a hard time aiming at all, as she was tripping over her hems and having to constantly avoid pieces of plaster, wood, and the occasional chandelier crashing down from the damaged ceiling. "I need to get closer!" she said decidedly, and began moving away.

"No!" cried James, waving a hand frantically in the dark to feel the witch and pull her back.

"For once, just follow me!" Guiding herself by running one hand along the wall of the Hall, she headed towards the High Table. "If you are incredibly quiet, we might be able to get to the table undetected."

James followed her lead reluctantly, his mind was too busy to protest. _I know that voice, damn it, but from where?_

When Lily bumped into a marble statue she had seen earlier, she knew she was in the right place. She crouched down and began crawling across the floor. "Get down," she said, tugging hard at James' tuxedo slacks.

Reluctantly, James followed her on hands and knees across the Hall. Every now and then he would send a well-aimed Stunner.

Lily was barely able to restrain herself from yelping when she bumped into a fallen body. But she had no time to check for a pulse.

"Come on, we're about twenty feet away."

Lily kept crawling, but then bumped into something.

A leg.

An _upright_ leg.

Someone was standing right in front of her.

"What have we here?" a silky, sinister voice murmured from above her. "_Avada Ked-" _

But that's all he was able to get out before James Stunned him.

"Come on!" He stood up, pulling her with him.

"STOP THEM!" roared another voice from across the hall.

"_Accio Wands!_" cried out two voices nearer to them.

Before James and Lily could prevent it, their wands soared out of their hands.

They leaped to their feet in unison, grasped wildly in the dark, trying to grab their wands, but it was too late.

Lily's eyes widened and she looked around wildly, trying to find the Dark wizard who was speaking.

James was not so much afraid as angry. _Bloody coward, won't even face us like a man!_

"_Lux Enmi_!" shouted the same voice who had ordered that they be stopped.

A dark red light appeared from nowhere and shined like a spotlight, revealing the speaker to be a black-hooded wizard standing in front of the head of the High Table. The light cast a halo around that part of the room, revealing several more Dark wizards, some nearer to James and Lily.

They were all hooded. Masked.

To his frustration, James found he couldn't make out the face of the witch he had befriended; another masked wizard had come between them and blocked her from his sight.

James felt naked, unbelievably vulnerable, without his wand. "Cowards."

"Silence!"

That single word cut across the room was spoken so chillingly that all wizards duelling around them to stopped what they were doing and turned to witness.

James looked at the wizard in the center of the circle. Whoever he wizard was, he was the leader.

_My main target. Now, if only I had my bloody wand._

"You know, I don't feel like being quiet," said James arrogantly. "The lady and I were just saying how we thought that the lot of you were fools for attacking this place."

"I'll show you a fool!" cried out a masked wizard standing hear them, brandishing his wand.

A flash of red light shot out of the leader's wand. It, however, did not hit neither James nor Lily, but hit the interrupting wizard full on the chest.

The man crumpled to the floor and began writhing in pain. "Enough! _Enough!_" he shrieked as he twisted and twitched.

"Stop it!" cried Lily, rushing forward towards the wizard, but the Dark wizard next to her twisted her arm and held her back.

The leader ignored her, and looked to the others. "The Dark Lord placed _me_ in charge. Do not act unless I tell you to do so."

The man was left in pain on the floor, the curse still on him.

The wizard turned, his ghostly mask turned to face James and Lily.

"Kill them."

"Wait!" The hooded wizard standing next to Lily stepped forward, dragging her with him. "The Dark Lord has given me permission to capture Mudbloods. I believe this witch is one."

Lily's heart began pounding in her chest.

The leader inclined his head as he considered. As she watched him, she felt the adrenaline surge through her body. _Fight or flight_, her survival instincts were screaming, _fight or flight! _

But her brain knew neither was a possibility.

"Very well," stated the leader finally. "Test her."

The one who had spoken stalked over to Lily. "Do not move, Mudblood."

She tried not to gasp when she felt the Dark wizard grab force open her palm.

"You bastard!" shouted James. He still couldn't see the witch's face, but he would be damned if anything happened to her while he was still alive. _I have to try something. Create a diversion, maybe._

"Don't try anything, Potterr," Lily hissed, hearing his shout. "There's nothing you can do!"

She felt the tip of a sharp edge, and before she could protest, she felt the cold blade slicing through her flesh.

Lily wanted to cry out in pain, but she wouldn't give her enemies the satisfaction. She clenched her jaw and pressing her lips together to avoid screaming.

Finishing, the wizard relaxed his hold on her hand; Lily yanked it out of his grip and quickly applied pressure to her wound, wincing.

It wasn't a deep cut._ But it sure hurts like hell._

The wizard handed the bloodied knife back to his leader, who withdrew a pure white scarf from his robes and wiped the knive's blade across it.

The scarf instantly turned brown, and the leader let it drop from his hands as if it would contaminate him.

"I told you she was a Mudblood," hissed the wizard standing next to her.

Somehow, hearing that single insulting word, Lily felt an entirely new feeling for her. Hatred.

That word befouled her past, insulted who her parents were, and pushed her to the breaking point.

She mustered her strength, and shoved him as hard as she could.

Catching him off guard, he went sprawling into the center of the circle.

"So WHAT?" she shouted, as two other wizards rushed forward to restrain her. "I may be Muggle-born, but it sure beats having to wear a mask and hood because you're that ashamed of what you've become!"

"Be quiet!" hissed James. The last thing he wanted to do was anger the wizards with wands while they still had the absolute advantage.

"What, you get to be a bad-ass, but I don't?"

The wizard she had pushed slowly straightened his robes, then came before her again, his wand pointed at her mouth. "Hold your tongue - or lose it. Your choice."

"If you even tried it, you'd regret the day your mother brought you into this world!" she shouted, ignoring James' shouts at her to be quiet.

"Do not be foolish, Mudblood," the leader hissed back at her. "When He is finished with you…"

"I'd like to see him try to get started," snarled James, his words of caution forgotten.

_I don't know this witch, but if they try to do anything to her, it will be over my dead body._

"You both must have been in Gryffindor," the wizard continued, "your kind of bravery goes hand in hand with stupidity."

_Maybe that's where I know her_, thought James._ Maybe we went to Hogwarts together._

"So, what, are we just going to stand here all night?" asked Lily pointedly. _That was too damn close! Too many hints about Hogwarts. And I have to distract them from what they said about killing James. Let them take me; staying alive is the priority.  
_

"No." The leader pointed at the wizard she had pushed. "Bring her."

Before she could pull back, he grabbed Lily from behind and dragged her forward.

"No!" yelled James, struggling against the wizards that were now holding him back. But without his wand, it was no use.

"You could at least say _please_," hissed Lily, trying not to wince at the pain that was shooting through her hand and up her arm. _Don't show your fear, _she told herself silently, ignoring the blood trickling from her wound.

She struggled and twisted, managing to keep her face out of James' view as she came into the red ring of light.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?" shouted James, "Leave her alone!"

The wizard turned to the darkness where James was held.

"Bring him forward."

"Ah, Potter. I'd like to see you stop me," the wizard holding stated. One of his hands let go of Lily and promptly slapped James across the face.

James' head reeled back from the blow. "If you wouldn't be such a bloody _coward_ and gave me back my wand," he muttered, his lower lip dripping blood already, "you wouldn't stand a chance."

Lily heard loud slams and crashes against the doors on the far side of the room. _The Ministry. The Aurors. Finally._

But her relief turned out to be short-lived.

"We must leave!" the leader turned to his followers. With a _pop _he was gone.

James was able to wrench an arm free, and slugged one of the Dark wizards in the face before he was restrained by two more.

The wizard holding Lily turned to James again, seemingly enjoying his struggle. "Before we take our leave," he said, jerking Lily close to him, and forcing her around to face James, "take a good look!"

Lily shrank back, trying to pull away from the light, but the wizard was too strong.

_"Lily?_"

She tried to speak, but all that came out was a hoarse whisper. "James, I'm so sorry-"

"Shut up, Mudblood. We don't have time for your sappy goodbye scene."

Before Lily could say anything, she felt a huge tug from behind her navel pulling her forward.

"James!" she screamed as she realized she was being taken through Side-Along Apparition.

"Lily!"

James pushed, yanked, shoved, until he was finally free from his restrainers.

He rushed forward to pull Lily away, to free him from the wizard's grasp.

But it was too late.

Lily was gone.

He heard popping noises, and turned around wildly.

The other wizards had also Disapparated.

Just then, the hall doors burst open, and the lights and candles flickered on. Aurors and other Ministry security poured into the Hall.

_I failed her._

James sank down to his knees, his head bowed, his heart reeling, his mind still in disbelief.

And that was where Sirius Black found him moments later. His best friend tried to say something, but was at an utter loss for words.

Sirius knew what this meant to James.

Once again, Lily was gone.

_Gone._

_

* * *

.  
_


	7. Not a Second Time

DISCLAMER: None of the Harry Potter characters or clever inventions are mine; I only own minuscule bits of this mini plot.

Sorry this took so long! I am almost finished with the next chapter, so I'll update soon!

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* * *

****THE BEWITCHMENT OF JAMES POTTER**

**Chapter Seven: Not a Second Time**

**

* * *

**

_**Drip.**_

Lily opened her eyes slowly.

Darkness.

Her head was aching, her mind spinning.

_**Drip, drip.**_

A smell of rust and rot crept into her nostrils.

Something was rustling around behind her.

She was unable to move.

_**Drip, drip**__**.**_

She cleared her parched throat.

"You seem to have a leak," she called out into the darkness.

"You seem to have one more tongue than is necessary," a deep throaty growl muttered nearby.

_**Drip, drip.**_

_**Clunk.**_

"Well," she continued, "are you planning on fixing it anytime soon?"

"No."

Lily paused, hoping she would not regret what she was about to ask. "What is it coming from?"

"Blood tends to leak when veins are sliced."

_**Drip, drip.**_

Lily's voice caught in her throat.

_Surely he must be joking._

She was acutely aware of her vulnerable position: she was lying on her back, her hands secured tightly to each side. She tried to move her legs, but they were chained together.

_Lovely._

She tried to recall lessons learned from her training.

_If captured, assess the situation._

_**Drip, drip.**_

From what she could tell, she had been placed on a hard wooden surface - most likely a table of some sort. It was impossible to see her surroundings; even after allowing time for her eyes to adjust, all she could make out were very vague shapes. There was a shadow moving around the room, making an occasional noise. The only light was a faint glow from a small fire, and from the shadows cast, Lily deduced that there was a cauldron on the fire.

She had never been in this room before, of that she was certain; the stench in the room would have been memorable.

_Situation assessed: you have no idea where you, and you have no idea how long you have been unconscious. Great.  
_

She sighed. "I suppose it would be useless to ask you nicely to tell me where the hell I am?"

The thing ignored her.

_**Drip, drip.**_

Lily rolled her eyes and relaxed her head against the mat, defeated for the moment.

_But only for the moment_, she promised herself silently.

The shape moved over to Lily's far right.

_**Drip, drip.**_

She heard the faint scraping sound of a blade being withdrawn from a sheath.

Lily writhed around wildly, desperately trying to find a way to protect herself. _But there's nothing I can do!_

At this thought, the sad voice of truth, Lily squeezed her eyes shut and braced herself.

Sure enough, there it came.

**

* * *

****LONDON**

* * *

"MOODY!" James thundered as he yanked open the doors that opened into the Head Auror's office.

The room was empty.

"DAMNATION!"

James tore out of the room, and desperately headed to the elevator.

"Prongs, wait!" yelled Sirius, making it inside the metal doors just as they were closing.

"Save your breath!" muttered James through gritted teeth.

Sirius nodded, accepting his share of the guilt. He knew what he had done: he had set in motion the sequence of events that had led to Lily's capture. He had not told James about her disguise. He had failed him.

James was ready to do serious damage to the slow elevator when the doors tinged open at the right floor.

James stormed down the hall, Sirius at his heels, both ignoring the strange looks they got from the few weary wizards working late.

They swung the heavy mahogany doors, and ignoring the sign that read "Restricted Access," they stormed inside the warmly lit room where two figures were locked in a heated discussion. It was the office of the Minister of Magic.

**

* * *

****Location ****Unknown**

* * *

A cry pierced the dark.

But it was not Lily who was screaming.

There really had been someone suspended above her.

She gagged as two or three drops of blood flecked onto her face. Her eyes squeezed shut, wishing that her hand were free to wipe it away, wishing she had her wand, wishing she could do something, wishing that she were not about to cry, or about to be sick.

The wizard above her made a low gurgling sound, and then was completely silent.

Scuffling and grunting noises then ensued; presumably, the body was being removed.

_Don't think about it. _

_They just killed someone! Here, right near me!_

_Think about something else, _anything_ else._

_They'll kill me too._

_Stop it. Focus on getting out._

A face appeared in her mind's eye.

A certain long-nosed, hazel-eyed, handsome face.

_James._

_Why couldn't he just have believed I was Madeleine? We would have both been inside of the Hall, ready to stop the madness. _

_I've never been this stupid. I had planned these meetings carefully, leaving out no details._

_The worst of this is that I have no idea where I am. I doubt anyone else will either. So no rescue. It's all up to me._

_James will look for me._

Despite her situation, the last thought somehow brought a smile to her face.

_'Ah, but what about his girlfriend?'_ whispered a little evil voice in her mind._ 'He might not even care about you anymore.'_

_No. I saw__ his face when he saw that it was me. At first it was wonder, a kind of 'this is impossible' look. Then it was joy, he was happy to see me. _

_Then it was horror, when he realized they were going to take me._

A door creaked open.

"How's the Mudblood?" asked the figure that entered. His voice was silky, slow paced.

"Quite spiffy actually. Couldn't be better," said Lily, forcing her voice to sound nonchalant while she strained to see in the dark. She had recognized his voice as the one who had kidnapped her from the Welcoming Ball.

"I'll be deciding that."

Lily decided not to say anything. That is, until she felt a cold hand on the bruise on her left cheek.

She yelped, and tried to reach up to smack the hand away, but, since her hands were bound, all she managed was a queer little wiggle.

"Stupid Mudblood," the voice mocked her, "do be still."

Lily rolled her eyes, and tried to ignore the feel of the damp hands that first touched her face and then felt her neck as if trying to measure her pulse.

_Evil. _

He then reached for her hand, causing her a sharp pain as he stroked his wand across the cut he had given her earlier.

Lily closed her eyes, trying to withdraw from the situation, trying to ignore the hands that poked and prodded her without restraint. Each time she tried to withdraw her mind from the situation completely though, she was pulled back by a renewed sense of anger within herself.

_I want this to stop!_

_Just think of something else. Ignore it._

_No, this isn't right, I shouldn't have to ignore this. I don't want to be touched! _

_Remember your training. They taught you to withdraw. _

_No, I don't think I want to. I want it to leave me the hell alone!_

"STOP IT!" Lily screamed.

The hands vanished from Lily's body.

She heard a loud crash; she had managed to harness the strength to shove him away magically.

_"NO!" _

Lily heard the pitter-patter of feet as he rushed back to her bedside. She felt the pressure of weight being added to the wood, and felt his warm breath on her face.

"Nice bit of wandless magic, for a Mudblood. I do intend to make you regret it."

"Oh, I am _so_ terrified," she muttered weakly. As much as she wished to repeat her trick and push him away again, even the one had left her severely drained of energy.

"You will be."

"You're making my bunny slippers quake in fright. I don't fear death, you know; I just wouldn't like it to happen."

"We shall discuss that later. For now, you must be made ready for the Summit-"

"What summit?"

"-as a sedative is clearly needed."

Before Lily could even protest, she felt the strong hands press a damp cloth to her nose and mouth.

She tried to resist the somniferous power that was coming over her, but at one point, the release from consciousness felt so inviting that she just let go.

**

* * *

****LONDON

* * *

**

The two figures ahead of James were engaged in a heated argument. The figures were almost comical, the heavyset witch in formal suit pointing her finger up at the elderly lanky wizard dressed in robes of dark purple. The important-looking witch was standing behind an over-sized desk, but was leaning forward so much she was practically laying across it.

"Dumbledore, there's is nothing else I can do! With all this happening, all these mistakes, confusion, chaos-"

"Not to mention the kidnappings and murders, of course," the aforementioned wizard murmured gently.

An assistant rushed into the room, passing James and Sirius without a word, and handed her two scrolls.

"Of course, especially those," said Minister Millicent Bagnold, tucking a piece of frazzled hair behind her ear. "I have no choice but to remove Alastor Moody from his position of Head Auror; there are many clamouring for his resignation, and I believe Barty Crouch is the best wizard for the job!"

James couldn't take it anymore. "How can you be arguing about bureaucracy when there are wizards and witches to save?"

Bagnold turned to look at him, noticing Sirius and he for the first time. "_Potter_, is it? _What the hell happened at the Ball?_ I am getting all sorts of mixed reports. I would like a first-hand account of everything – I do not recall anything myself because of the sleeping spell at the High Table. I want you to document everything you experienced. Get my advisors in here-"

"I don't give a damn about that," said James, rudely interrupting her.

"Mate, calm down," hissed Sirius in James' ear. "She's the _Minister of Magic_, for Merlin's sake!"

"We have _years_ to talk about _how _it happened," continued James loudly. "The important thing is saving lives - the rescue mission is what is crucial now."

"Rescue mission?" asked Bagnold. One of her secretaries walked in, accompanied by another important-looking wizard.

"Yes, several of ours were captured, as were many of the French Ministry."

The Minister looked at James steadily. "I'm afraid I have to meet with my advisors before I can give you my authorization to proceed. My advisors-"

"With all due respect," stated James sarcastically, "your advisors know shit about this. It's not like they've ever been out on the field. Why don't you give us the little necessary okay, and then we get our own team together - Dearborn, Prewett, Moody, etc. - so we can do more than just standing here arguing about it?"

"Absolutely not. First of all, Moody is no longer Head Auror, and second of all, I need to meet with my advisors-"

"Fuck your advisors!" cried James, earning an astonished stare from everyone in the room. "What?" he demanded, looking around, "it's not like I meant it literally."

An important-looking wizard that had just entered the room grunted loudly. "I won't take it personally. I will, however, ask you to mind your language in a work environment, particularly in the presence of Her Excellency." Bartemius Crouch nodded to Bagnold, and stepped forward to shake hands with the Minister. "Minister, I received your urgent owl."

"You heard about the disaster at the Welcoming Ball?"

"Of course."

"How would you feel about being Head Auror?"

Crouch smiled in a way that made it obvious to James that he had already known about this promotion.

_Pompous bastard, no way in hell he'd make a better Head Auror than Moody. He hasn't even worked in the field in over a decade, preferring to be earn a tidy sum though private security consulting._

"It sounds like a definite possibility," said Crouch, moving forward to shake her hand.

_The bastard's milking this for all it's worth._

"Crouch, I need to know now. Your promotion and new job would go into effect immediately."

"Moody is a highly capable Auror, and I would hate to remove him from where he is most needed," stated Crouch, rubbing his moustache. "Is there no other position in which I could be of better use? Perhaps in law enforcement-"

"You heard about Reginald's resignation?" Brushing Crouch's denial aside, she continued, clearly determined to sort out her government. "Yes, indeed, I would rather have you in a position of more oversight. Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, then, with direct control over the Auror Office?"

Crouch bowed in response.

"Sign here," said Bagnold, pointing at one of the open scrolls on her desk.

Crouch barely blinked as he signed his name.

Bagnold walked behind her desk, and took a wooden box out from a drawer. "Inside are your official seal and new ministry identification.

"Excellent." After taking the box, his manner immediately became brisk. "Now then, boys," he indicated James and Sirius, "assemble as many of the Aurors as you can within the next hour. Anyone who doesn't answer to the summons will find that they don't have a job here on Monday. And get me Alastor Moody and Emmeline Vance."

Sirius looked about ready to object to being called "boy," but James elbowed him. "Certainly, we'll get on that now."

They exited the offices with a curt nod, and walked out to the hall.

"Want to tell me what all that was about?" asked Sirius as he closed the door behind them.

"Moody has basically been admonished but didn't lose his job, Crouch is now Head of Law Enforcement and therefore oversees us Aurors, the Ministry is a complete joke, and we're getting all the Aurors together."

Sirius followed James down the corridor. "I got that. But why are we acting like his bloody errand boys?"

"We're his little servants for now because I know we can get things done the fastest."

James winced, remembering that they were running against time._ Lily's time._ "Hurry up," he ordered his best friend, as he turned around the corner sharply, and promptly collided with someone.

Parchments and scrolls went flying.

_Shit_, James cursed inwardly, _not what I need right now. _"Sorry," he muttered, then bent over, and began picking the stuff up.

"Black!" exclaimed the witch, recognizing James' friend.

" Marlene McKinnon," said Sirius, his tone concerned, "did you hear about what happened?"

Marlene McKinnon dropped her eyes and shrugged. "How could I not? That's why I'm here, the British Ministry is pulling in all the witches and wizards that they had overseas – they need all the help that they can get."

James had been waiting around impatiently. "Sirius, we need to get going."

He began to leave, but Marlene placed a hand on his shoulder. "Wait, I want to go with you."

James turned to face her. "Look, no offence, but I don't need another secretary."

Marlene squared her shoulders. "How perfectly medieval of you, James Potter. For your information, I'm a Potions Master. I'm sure you could find some use for me."

James didn't even bat an eye. "Fine, come with us."

Without another word, Marlene followed Sirius and James down the hall.

_We're wasting so much time._

James remembered the moment he last saw her: the ripped lavender dress, too long for her frame, the tangles of auburn hair, and most of all, her pale face, smeared with dust and blood, her cheek already black and blue. Her emerald eyes had been wide with adrenaline, but her set jaw shewed her determination and self-control. And when they took her, her cry had been of fury, not fear - of tenacity, not panic.

But her face continued to haunt him, as did the knowledge that she had been taken from him.

For the second time, he had been a witness to circumstance as it separated Lily from him. For the second time, he had lost her.

_No, not for a second time._

_This time, I'm going after her._

_I will find her._

_

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_**R/R!**_  
_


	8. Here, There, and Everywhere

Ahhhh, here it is! Chapter SeVeN! Let me know what you think :)

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**

**THE BEWITCHMENT OF JAMES POTTER**

**Chapter Eight: Here, There, and Everywhere  
**

* * *

**_She was walking on thick spring grass. Ahead there was a blossoming tree._**

**_There was someone standing under it._**

**_ A boy._**

**_James?_**

**_

* * *

_**

Lily's eyes flew open.

But everything was hazy, as if a cloud covered her eyes.

Her eyes felt as if they had been spinning; all she saw were blurred shapes. She raised her hand in front of her face, waving it weakly as if trying to straighten out the images. She barely had time to register that her hands were actually free when she suddenly she felt two hands on her shoulders, shaking her back and forth violently.

She tried to scream, but almost no sound escaped her throat.

The rocking motion felt like hammering blows were being delivered to her skull even though not a hand touched her head. She felt her stomach churn; she would have vomited except that there was nothing in her stomach to throw up

"That should suffice." The voice was so low that it barely slithered out loudly enough to be audible, yet they commanded obedience nevertheless.

The forceful hands stopped shaking her. Lily opened her eyes, straining them to see, but she barely got an impression of the large cloaked figure in front of her before she felt a sudden burst of pressure on her forehead that slammed her against a hard surface behind her. She groaned dully, and allowed herself to slump down into her seat.

That's when she realized that she was actually sitting in a chair. Swaying in her seat, she was unable to keep her eyes open, felt that they were made of lead. As she began to fade into darkness, a voice called out again.

"Wake her."

She felt the set of hands grasp the front of her robes. She tried to open her eyes, but the lids were just felt so heavy. She felt frigid fingers push her jaw down, opening her mouth. A thick, syrupy liquid was forced in, and slowly made its way down. Her throat muscles reacted, and she swallowed.

Instantly, she felt a heat rushing through her body, from her throat downwards, to the tips of her fingers and toes. Her body wasn't warming; it burned.

The arms held her up, and pulled her into a sitting position. It wasn't till they released her that Lily chose to open her eyes.

What she saw shocked her.

Lily was sitting in a high-backed stone chair. Standing in front of her was the wizard who had kidnapped her from the Ball, who had anesthetized her earlier; although he was masked and cloaked, there was no mistaking his pale yet calloused hands. To each side of her were two hooded figures, tall, lean, and imposing; their wands were near her eye level.

Ahead of her were rows of stone-cut seats, occupied by forty or so wizards, their faces hidden behind spectral masks. The space was lit only by torches, set in the surrounding stone walls of what appeared to be an ancient Roman amphitheater.

_An undiscovered Roman amphitheater in Britain?_

To her right, diagonal to her, was a row of six throne-like chairs. Five hooded wizards filled the seats; the wizard standing in front of her, satisfied that she was now lucid, moved to occupy the final one.

The wizard seated closest to her was clearly their leader; he was the only one who dared to show his own face.

Lily stared at him with ghastly fascination.

On his right armrest rested a small golden, jewel-encrusted goblet, with two finely-wrought handles on either side. He moved a hand towards it; Lily saw the bloodless pallid skin of the long fingers that wrapped around the cup.

With that brief movement, the darkly hooded faces of the audience, which had formerly been focused on her, turned abruptly towards their leader.

He leaned back and sipped. The wizard then slowly set down the goblet and touched the cloth to his ashen narrow-lipped mouth, his every movement slow and calculated.

He began to laugh quietly, breaking the absolute silence.

It was bone-chilling; Lily was sure that a few other wizards had flinched at the sound.

_I, however, am intimidated but not afraid._

Lily cleared her throat. "What's so funny?"

The hooded heads turned to her sharply, and then back to the wizard to see his reaction.

He raised his head to view her, but his face remained in the shadows of the hood. "You were better when you were silent. _Silencio!_"

Lily clenched her jaw and pursed her lips, furious as she was now unable to speak._ Damn him!  
_

"As is known, after a successful infiltration, some of you attacked the meeting of the Magical Heads of State of England and France. Although you failed to bring them back, several other witches and wizards were captured. Some of them have already been… taken care of."

Lily winced as she remembered the Ministry wizard murdered above her in the dungeon.

_Is his dried blood still on my face?_

She preferred not to know.

"For the others, their future remains to be seen. This one is the Mudblood Lily Evans. A Hogwarts graduate, she completed her training in France and is currently a security advisor." He paused to take a sip from his goblet and continued. "It's quite a pity that the French are so desperate that even Mudbloods can rise in power."

Lily squirmed in her seat as he dabbed at his lip with the white cloth. He sipped from his goblet and then grasped it with both hands. "Councillor Three, step forward."

One of the wizards of the back row stood up and moved to front of the audience. "Before the Council makes a final decision, we present you, Mudblood Evans, one other option."

Lily arched an eyebrow.

"Join us."

Lily rolled her eyes and pointed at her muted throat.

One of her guard wizards muttered the counter-curse to the Silencing spell.

"Really, isn't your invitation quite illogical?" she replied impertinently, now able to be heard. "If you loathe me so much for being muggle-born, why would you want me to join you, unless I am talented, in which case, why should my origin be a problem in the first place?"

Councillor Three turned towards his leader, who was sipping more liquid from his goblet. The wizard dabbed at his lip again with the white cloth, and then addressed Lily.

"Is that a no, Mudblood?"

"That's a 'hell no.' I wouldn't want to _contaminate_ you with my impure presence."

The wizard examined the jewels on the goblet. "You consider yourself to be strong, to be brave, and to be a true _Gryffindor_." He spat the last word out as if it tasted foul. "But even Gryffindors can be broken, if one knows their weaknesses. And, you can be certain Mudblood, that we will find yours."

"I wasn't aware that I had a weakness, Lord Purity."

Lily watched his grip around the goblet tighten. "All Mudbloods have weaknesses."

"And of course, purebloods have none. Right, milord?"

"Lord Voldermort is not here to listen your pathetic quips!" cried Councillor Three.

"Calm yourself," hissed the leader, his very voice a snake slithering through the air. "You will now step down."

Once Councillor Three had done as ordered, the leader continued. "As you have all witnessed, the Mudblood Evans refuses to reform. The Council therefore rules that we will perform enhanced interrogation techniques on her; therefore, she shall be returned to Councillor Four in order for him to begin his new experiments."

_'Enhanced interrogation techniques'… Is the word 'torture' just too violent for their royal and noble ears?_

"Councillor Four, your request is therefore fulfilled. Remove this filth from the Council's sight."

"Au revoir for now then." She blew him a kiss as she stood up. It was then that she noticed that her feet were shackled.

_Like a slave. Bastards_.

"Not so fast."

A hooded figure stepped up to her; Lily guessed he was Councillor Four. He pulled the cork of a flask.

"You bastard!" she screamed, finally losing any self-control she had, bucking in her seat, and trying anything to stop him.

It was all in vain however; with the help of another guard they were able to force a sleeping draught down her throat. Just when she was beginning to feel her body go numb, one of them threw her over his shoulder to like a sack of potatoes and carried her out of the room.

* * *

**London, England**

**

* * *

**

"Damn, damn, DAMN!" yelled James, shoving piles of parchments off his desk with each word.

Sirius was standing at the top of a ladder as he examined book titles at the top of the shelf in their shared office. He tried to be sympathetic. "Calm down, mate. If you remain calm and focused, we'll find her."

"It's been a bloody_ week_ already and we're still no closer! There must be something else we can do other than look up all this bloody information."

Sirius climbed down the stairs. He brushed off the dust from his robes, and leaned on the ladder, running his hand through his hair as he observed his friend. "Well, it was your idea to do some research on Dark magic."

James shoved the desk chair back and slumped into it, leaning back and covering his face with his hands in frustration.

Sirius kept watching him.

James lowered his hands from his face and glared at Sirius. "What."

"I'm sorry."

James' expression softened as he began to look more sad than angry. "I just wish you'd told me."

"Prongs–"

"No, listen," James said, holding up a hand to cut him off. "You knew how much I cared for her – that I had loved her even. And for you not to tell me-"

"James–"

"-after all my family and I have done for you."

Sirius' eyes widened. James had never brought the subject up. Ever. His family had simply taken him in, without questions, with no strings attached. His shoulders dropped as he began to feel truly ashamed. "I'm really sorry.

James took a deep, slow breath. "Okay. I forgive you."

"Just like that?" Sirius was very confused.

"Just like that," said James, sighing, "How can I not? You're the brother I never had."

Sirius crossed the room in two long, quick steps and wrapped James into a tight hug.

Suddenly, the door burst open.

"Mr. Potter, here are the–"

The secretary's voice cut off, witnessing their warm embrace. "Shall I come back at another time?"

They both immediately pulled away, straightening their robes and coughing. In a manly way, of course.

"Very well Shirley, thank you," said James, clearing his throat. "That'll be all."

Shirley was could barely control her giggles as she shut the door behind her.

Sirius sighed as he leaned against the wall. "How long do you think it'll be before the entire floor finds out that you and I are lovers? Am I still going to be able to get dates now?"

James smiled faintly and pinched Sirius' cheek. "I don't mind sharing you, darling."

Sirius tossed James' hand away and moved to the door. "Let's go visit Crouch."

"What, for the ninth time this week?"

"Um, sure. Why not, you think he might be a bit busy or something?"

"No, why should he be?" said James sarcastically. "He's only the new Head of Magical Law Enforcement."

"Well, you might as well go tell him about the plan we're drafting."

James lowered his face into his hands.

Sirius raised his eyebrows. "What, you have something better to do?"

James glanced at the parchments that littered his desk. "Other than stay here and let you hug me again? No, I don't. Come on, let's go." James got up and opened the door; his best friend was right behind him.

* * *

**Location Unknown**

**

* * *

**This time when she regained consciousness, she knew she was lying on her back, and felt the bindings that pinned her body to the bed.

Two masked faces were leaning over her.

"Who are you?" she demanded as archly as she could, considering that she was only just recovering from being drugged.

They ignored her.

Lily felt a hand press her right arm down with a firm grip. Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain in her forearm. She yelped and tried to kick up, but her feet were chained down. Lily craned her neck to try to see what was happening, but the wizard's bodies blocked her view. They were adjusting straps on her body, their cold hands brushing her skin on random places, sending shivers down her spine.

The pressure on her arm disappeared, but the pain remained. She craned her neck, and had a fleeting glimpse of a vial filled with a red liquid.

_My blood. _

She heard a door creak open. Footsteps clicked across the stone floor, getting closer until another masked face loomed overheard.

"Leave us."

"But sir, we need to continue–"

"Leave us!" repeated the wizard, his voice commanding compliance.

Craning her neck to see, Lily watched two other wizards leave, leaving her alone with another one.

"Councillor Four, I presume?" called out Lily, "a pleasure, to be sure."

He walked over to a table covered in vials and bottles; his silence answered her question.

"Right. So is that mask you're wearing a work requirement, or did you just have really bad acne as a kid?"

She heard the crash of something falling, and saw shards of glass on the floor.

"Sorry, am I making you nervous?" she asked archly.

"Hardly. What is surprising is your rudeness. Most captives spend this time begging for mercy, or they try to bargain a release."

"You'll never hear me beg you for anything, that's a promise, and I seriously doubt that paying you off would work."

He moved toward her and began tugging at the restraints on her hands and feet to make sure they were secure. "And why is that?"

"You get more of a kick out of torture than you do out of money and the use of it."

He laughed quietly.

"Ouch!" Lily yelled as he squeezed the palm of her hand where they had taken her blood the previous day.

"Practically a scratch and the muggle's already crying."

"I'm hardly crying."

"You will."

"Bastard."

She felt a searing pain in her palm; when she flexed her fingers, she realized the cut was healed; the same was occurring to the fresh cut on her forearm. _Guess they need me to be in one piece before they can start their 'experiments.'_

A few minutes went by in silence, interrupted only by the occasional tinkle of glass or the shuffling of robes.

"So what comes first, Iron Maiden or Chinese Water Torture?" asked Lily finally.

"Neither. Drink." He held a bottle to her lips.

Lily raised an eyebrow. "And if I drink this nicely and behave myself, do I get a lollipop afterwards?"

"No."

Lily sighed and parted her lips, knowing there was little point to refusing, and too tired to try. He tilted the bottle into her mouth, and she felt a warm sticky liquid flow inside. She tried to swallow all of it, but a little trickled out onto her chin. She shuddered. "Would it be too much to ask for you to put some sugar in this crap to lessen the septic tank taste?"

"Drink this as well."

Lily opened her mouth – this time the mixture was cool but lumpy. She gagged and would have spat it out if the masked wizard hadn't forced her mouth to remain shut.

She forced her throat muscles to relax and swallow. "What did you just give me?" she gasped out; the room was beginning to blur.

The wizard stood over her, feeling her carotid pulse. "The first one was a stimulant. The second is a sedative."

"Stimulant to do what?"

"To put it simply, if the potion functions the way I designed it to, it should force you to delve into your past and to relive your memories. We'll take it in steps, but eventually I'll know everything that I want to know that is anywhere in that Muggle brain of yours."

His voice was beginning sound distant, as if he was speaking to her from the far end of a long tunnel.

"I'll break you easily, especially as I already know your principal weakness."

She strained to speak. "Which is what? My undying love to you?"

"No, to James Potter."

"You – You're w-wrong." It was getting harder and harder to speak. She tried to move but her body was frozen.

_Merlin!_

She felt his clammy cold fingers force her eyes closed, and she found she was unable to reopen them. She felt herself fade, once again, into darkness.

* * *

**_I was getting closer to the tree and the boy_**_** standing underneath it.**_

_**His black robes flapping slightly in the breeze.**_

_**He turned around to face me.  
**_

"_**Lily!" he said, calling my name with a smile.**_

_**Behind him, the Hogwarts lake glittered in the afternoon sun.  
**_

"_**James?"**_

"_**I've been waiting for you."**_

_**

* * *

**_

**London, England**

**

* * *

**

"I'm sorry, the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement is occupied at the moment. If you would be so kind as to give me your full name, I could pencil you in for a meeting with Mr. Crouch tomorrow."

Mr. Crouch's young secretary was proving to be quite a major obstacle, and James was quickly losing patience.

"Trudy, love, be a darling." Sirius placed his hands on the secretary's desk and leaned forward until he was only inches from her face. "Let us in - we promise we'll be brief, and then you and I can catch a drink."

Truly was already blushing slightly, and at that, her face positively reddened. "Sir, I-"

"Partly right," he drawled, lingering on his words. "My name's Sirius."

"Sirius," she echoed.

"Yes, Trudy?"

"I think Mr. Crouch may have a few minutes free in which he can see you."

"Finally," said James to Sirius as they walked towards the door. "Took you longer than it used to. Are you losing the golden touch?"

Sirius followed him in and hissed, "You owe me big time."

"Oh yes, since it is so hard to go on a date."

"Well, I'm putting it on your tab," whispered Sirius, and then called out in a loud voice, "Mr Crouch, just the person we were looking for!"

Mr. Crouch, although he had only recently accepted his appointment, was already established in a new office, operating as effectively and efficiently as if he had been working there for a decade. He was seated behind his large oak desk; in front of it sat a wizard slightly older than James and Sirius, and a slightly younger witch.

"Black, Potter," said Crouch nodding in greeting.

"Crouch," said Sirius, and then nodded to the other man, "Bones."

"Black," replied the wizard. "Potter."

"Bones," acknowledged James, ending the round of male greetings.

"And who is this lovely young lady?" said Sirius, indicating the woman.

Edgar Bones put his arm around the witch protectively. "My sister - I suppose I have to ask you to be on your best behavior?"

"But I'm always on my best behaviour. Especially around attractive young witches," teased Sirius, raising an eyebrow.

Crouch simply shook his head in disapproval.

"It's a pleasure to see you again," began James, shaking hands with Edgar.

"James, it's been too long," agreed Edgar, who had been Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team when James joined. "You remember Amelia?"

"Of course," answered James, shaking her hand as well. "And now you're interning here in the department of Magical Law Enforcement, right? You'll have to excuse me, I have a business matter to bring up with Mr. Crouch. Would you mind?"

"Not at all, go right ahead."

"Right then. Mr. Crouch, have there been any recent developments in the Evans - I mean, Welcoming Ball kidnappings case?"

Mr. Crouch didn't even lift his eyes off the parchment he was signing.

"Mr. Crouch."

"I heard you perfectly well, Potter."

"And?"

"You know full well that nothing new has happened or you would have heard of it by now."

Prepared for this answer, James procured the document that he and Sirius had been working on earlier, and placed it in front of him.

"What's this?" asked Crouch, glancing at it.

"It's a proposal for an investigation."

"Investigation into what?"

"The current uprisings by Dark wizards. I know Dumbledore has had countless meetings with you about them."

"That's right, he has." Crouch scanned the rest of the parchment. "And I entirely agree; we must stamp them out. We must get rid of these deviants. I am already drafting some changes to the policy that outlines the powers and the limitations of Aurors."

"Sir?" James asked, interested.

Crouch gave him a half-smile. "You'll find out when everyone else does, once it is approved in the Wizengamot."

"And that's why you're here?" James guessed, addressing Edgar. Their father was a top official in the wizarding judicial and legislative body.

"Actually, that's why I'm here; I'm one of their clerks," interjected Amelia, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "Edgar's reporting for Auror duty."

Mr. Crouch signed another parchment. "Thank you Ms. Bones, and get these to your father as soon as possible. I should like to finish this business by Monday."

"Certainly," she said, standing to leave.

"Have a good day, Amelia," said James, pulling out her chair for her.

"You too, Potter; good to see you, Black."

"Pleasure's all mine," replied Sirius, gallantly helping her into her cloak. "I think I'm love," he said teasingly to Edgar as he passed Sirius.

Edgar punched Sirius on the arm as he made his way out.

Mr. Crouch motioned for James and Sirius to take a seat. "Now that there we are only higher-level Aurors in the room, I will be direct. Potter, you may have exactly two weeks to find Ms. Evans."

"Sir, my proposal clearly states that the investigation would be to observe the new _Dark wizard_ movements."

Crouch maintained a steady gaze. "I'm sure that you would find a way to link them to Ms. Evans anyway."

Sirius smiled, elbowing James, who shrugged.

"In any case," continued Crouch, "you have two weeks, after which you are to report back to me all that you have found out, if anything. And if you have substantial information, I want you to outline a plan."

"A plan for what?" asked Sirius.

"For attack! We're at war!"

"Sir, you said that he was to find Lily Evans," observed Sirius, his tone flat.

"The point is that he will uncover lots of vital information on our enemies. You're planning on going undercover, right?"

"Yes, of course, sir."

"Good. You will remain bound to our policies. You are entitled to the full use of our resources. You may assemble your team, but first you must clear the list with me. Who will you be taking with you?"

"Sirius Black," answered Sirius immediately.

"I want Remus Lupin," said James at the same exact time.

"Excuse me?" cried Sirius, his expression incredulous.

"Lupin has extensive knowledge regarding disguises… plus, he has a lot of experience in this sort of thing."

"What the hell are you saying?"

"I need Remus."

"Well, he can't go with you," his best friend smirked, "as his furry little problem will pop up next week."

"And you may not take Lupin," Crouch interrupted, "as he resigned from his work in the Reversal Squad this morning."

"What?" cried James and Sirius in unison.

"He offered no explanation."

"I still think that that Remus is the wizard for the job," said James stubbornly.

"The point I'm seeking to make, Potter, is that Lupin doesn't work here anymore. I believe he's working for Albus Dumbledore instead."

Digesting this new piece of information, James looked at Sirius to see what his reaction was. Padfoot, however, had his mind on other matters.

"So, write me down on the list. Sirius Black is the name."

"No…" said James slowly, "I'm going to need a witch then."

"A _witch_?" cried Sirius with as much horror and surprise as if James had announced that he was taking a two-ton African elephant undercover. "Why would you ever want one of_ those _to go with you? They're are nothing but trouble and distraction-"

"Just because they tend to distract _you_ doesn't necessarily mean-"

Mr. Crouch, ignoring them, held up his roster. "Many of our female operatives are already busy. Of the remainder, I would most highly recommend Auror Alice Longbottom or Potions Master Marlene McKinnon."

"The one who was recently pulled from the French Ministry?" asked Sirius, immediately interested.

"How do you know McKinnon?" asked Crouch; his voice had a certain edge to it that told James that he was concerned that Sirius knew her though his usual way of knowing women.

"She's a friend of Lily Evans," said Sirius hurriedly. "She's the one who whipped up the Polyjuice Potion Lily used to become Madeleine Le Vau."

James's jaw stiffened. Although he had forgiven Sirius, he was set in the opinion that if he had only known, none of the ensuing disasters would have occurred, Lily's abduction wouldn't have happened, she would be safe, and, in his ideal dream world, in his arms.

"In that case," said Crouch, touching his moustache, "you may as well take McKinnon - she has a good amount of experience in working in the field. But what if she doesn't want to go? It is, after all, her choice, as are all undercover missions."

"Then my next choice is Sirius."

"Well, I'm glad to see I ranked _somewhere_ on your list, _mate_."

James ignored him. "Mr. Crouch, I'll be talking to McKinnon this evening."

They stood up to leave. As Crouch shook hands with James he said, "Keep your eyes open. We wouldn't want another... er... mishap. Other than that, my only recommendation is that you visit Gringott's first, as it may be hard for you to do so after you have gone undercover."

James began to leave, but Sirius lingered behind. "Crouch, come on now, tell him that he has to take me with him."

"Very well," said Crouch, smiling. "Potter! As he himself has requested, please remove him out of my office with you as you go."

"I'll remove myself, thank you." Sirius huffily walked past James, who was standing in the doorway, fighting to keep a straight face.

"Shut up," muttered Sirius moodily, and began heading down the corridor, ignoring Trudy, who was fluffing her hair and making eyes at him from her desk.

"Oh, but you mustn't forget to come back later to pick up darling Trudy. You two have a date, remember?"

"That was the very last favour I do for you, Thongs."

"Don't get all bent out of shape, Padface."

"Where are we going?" asked Sirius as they rounded the corner.

"_You_ are going to go back there, pick up Trudy, and take her to the Witch's Claw. Buy her a few martinis and go back to her place or yours – I don't particularly care which. _I _am going to the Department of Potions Investigations and speak to McKinnon."

"And_ I_ am coming with you," announced Sirius, rushing into the lift as soon as the doors opened.

James joined him. "Not this time."

Sirius rolled his eyes. "You should know by now that you can't expect to have all the fun."

James eyes flashed angrily. "It's not like I'm going on holiday! It's not a bloody game!"

"I know it's not, but admit it. At least to me, your best friend. You're excited about going undercover for the first time since that incident in Liverpool. And, you're also excited about seeing Lily."

"If she's alive…"

"If she wasn't, you'd know by now."

The lift's door opened with a ding, and they both stepped out.

Sirius practically ran down the corridor. Just as James saw him disappear around a corner, he heard a loud crashing noise.

"Oof!"

"Ouch!

"Damn it!" Sirius was saying just as James hurried around the corner. He was helping the pretty, dark-haired witch they had seen earlier back to her feet. "I am so sorry, Marlene."

"Not a problem," she answered hurriedly, "but we'd better move!"

The floor was littered with glass shards. The contents of the broken glass container were crawling all over the floor: hundreds of two-inch-long beetles.

"Good one Sirius, really." James grabbed his best friend by the robes and followed Marlene down the hall, ignoring the nasty feeling of the crunching beetles under his feet. Apologizing, he let go of Marlene, who directed them into her office.

"We can't keep meeting like this," said Marlene smiling as she offered them water

Sirius pulled out a handkerchief and tried to dab Marlene's neck to remove some of the beetle slime that had landed there.

She yanked the handkerchief out of his hand. "I can do this by myself, thanks."

"Sorry, my fault–"

"Yes, it is your fault - like it was last two times that you ran into me. But it's okay, I think I'm getting used to it now," said Marlene, smiling kindly.

"Yes, get a grip mate," said James, a smile playing on the corners of his mouth.

Sirius read the look his friend was giving him and straightened up, running his hand through his hair. "Marlene, we were looking for you actually… James has this silly idea that you would be willing to–"

James, noticing something, felt his insides contract with laugher. "Sirius?"

"What?" snapped Sirius.

"There's a beetle in your hair."

"AGH!"

Sirius began frenziedly hopping around, hitting his head frantically with his hands trying to rid himself the beetle. "Agh!" he screamed again when his fingers brushed the offending insect. "I can't get it out!"

"Oh, for Pete's sake," cried Marlene, reaching towards Sirius's head. "Stop jumping around!"

She plucked the offending creature from his head and let it fall to the floor.

"Agh!" yelled Sirius, and immediately slammed his foot down on the beetle.

_Squish._

"Aha!" he cried out triumphantly, and then looked up.

Marlene and James, who had been watching him with disgusted fascination, erupted into laugher.

"Come on now, it wasn't funny!" yelled Sirius, severely annoyed.

"Yes… yes it was!" said James, wiping the tears from his face. 'You should have heard yourself,_ 'I c-cant g-get it out!_' Dear Merlin!"

Twenty minutes later, as they were leaving the Ministry of Magic and heading to the flat James had rented in London, Sirius was still fuming at them.

Of course, it probably didn't help that whenever James and Marlene looked at each other they couldn't help but start laughing all over again.

"It wasn't funny!" yelled Sirius as he Disapparated.

"Yes it was!" James said as they Apparated in the front hall. He walked over to his black leather recliner and collapsed into it.

Marlene sighed, clutching her sore-from-laughing abdomen and sat in the couch opposite from him. Sirius ignored the living room and went directly into the kitchen.

"I feel kind of sorry for him," said James to Marlene, referring Sirius.

"Why?" she asked.

"JAMES!" yelled an angry voice from the kitchen, "Where's all the food gone!"

"That's why," said James, sighing as he stood up. He sat at the bar that attached the kitchen to the living room. "I haven't had time to stock up since your last raid on my pantry."

"Then why the bloody hell are we here?"

"Watch your mouth, we have female company," warned James, taking out some glasses from the cabinet above the bar. "What'll you have to drink, Marlene?"

"Oh, a Perrier, please, if you have it."

"Ice?"

"Yes, please."

"See, Sirius, _she_ has manners," said James, pouring out the drink.

"I'm too hungry to behave," growled Sirius in reply as he opened another set of cupboards.

"Mate, I've told you, there's no food."

"Then what are we going to eat?"

"What d'you want, fish n' chips, steak, pasta, frog legs, what?"

"Why, where are you going to procure that from?" asked Sirius suspiciously.

"I'll just pay a quick visit to Potter Manor and see how things are going there. You can't be too careful nowadays, especially with what happened to the Prewett's country home last month."

"I've been away for too long," mourned Marlene, "what happened to the Prewetts? Molly is friends with my sister."

"Looted," said James grimly. "So I've been checking up on my family home often. Not that I'm too worried – it's practically a magical fortress. So, any requests?"

"Nah," said Sirius, patting his tummy expectantly, "Minio knows my tastes well enough."

"Minio's not there. He's at my condo in Kent, supervising Jinah, who is currently moving out."

"So it's over?" Sirius whistled. "Hate to think of what Minio would do to her if she took so much as a bar of soap that wasn't hers."

"Jinah would be lucky if she got a proper burial." James smiled at the thought. "Anyway, I'll be back in fifteen minutes." He Disapparated.

It was a full half-hour later until James re-Apparated. He found Sirius and Marlene engaged in an intimate tête-à-tête on the sofa, Sirius tracing circles on the back of her hand with his finger. Sirius looked up lazily, but was shocked when he saw the look on James' ashen face.

"What happened?" he exclaimed, jumping to his feet.

"There's been another attack."

"Who?" yelled Sirius, afraid of the answer.

"The French Ministry."

"What?" cried Marlene, also standing up.

"Le Vau is dead, as well as some of his staff."

"No!"

"He was a good man," said James, his voice cracking.

"And Madeleine?" asked Sirius softly, remembering James's French friend.

"She's fine – but one of her bodyguards gave his life to protect her."

"But how do you know all this?" asked Marlene, her hands shaking.

"Dumbledore came over and told me. I have no idea how he knew that I would be there."

"I can't believe this!" exclaimed Marlene, finally believing. Sirius reached out and slowly put his arm around her.

"I'm really sorry," said James, "Marlene, why don't you go home, write the owls I know you're dying to write, and I'll see you tomorrow."

Pulling back from Sirius, Marlene brushed the tears from her face. "But James, why did you contact me in the first place?"

"I wanted you to go on a mission with me to recover Lily, but clearly you need to relax and grieve for any friends lost–"

"No," she said, her voice stronger. "I'll write the owls tonight, for sure, but I _will_ go undercover with you."

"I'm not so sure that's a good idea."

"I have to do this. I have to go with you."

"No, you don't," said Sirius sympathetically, putting a hand on her shoulder. "You don't have to put your neck on the line for her."

"She's not just his ex-girlfriend," said Marlene, looking at Sirius. "She's also my best friend. You're clearly willing to risk your life for your friend, why won't you just let me do the same?"

"Marlene, don't take it this lightly," said Sirius, more loudly than was necessary. "The wizards who took Lily killed four witches and wizards at the Welcoming Ball and captured another eight. Three of their bodies have resurfaced, one of them mutilated beyond recognition, the other two had been extensively tortured. Torturers. Murderers. That is what we're up against."

"I'm going," said Marlene quietly; a finality in her voice let Sirius know that that was the end of discussion.

Sirius took a deep breath, and then turned to James. "And I am going too."

James gave him a long, searching look. "Alright. I'll let Crouch know. You're both welcome to spend the night here. Marlene, parchment, quills and ink are in the guestroom down that hall. Sirius, you'll be with me."

"When do we set out?" asked Marlene.

"Tomorrow at daybreak I'll go to Gringott's. By seven, we'll all go to the Auror armoury and you can get the equipment you'll need. As soon as we're done, the real work will begin."

"Real work?"

"Yes. That's when we go undercover."

"What are we going undercover as?"

James smiled grimly. "Trust me, you'd rather wait and find out tomorrow."

* * *

R/R!


	9. With a Little Help from My Friends

N: Hey everyone!

Notice the update date! It must be a record for me :)

Ahhhhhh thanks so much to everyone for all the wonderful reviews! I love you guys so much! You encourage me to update faster. This chapter… well, I got all teary-eyed writing it!

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**THE BEWITCHMENT OF JAMES POTTER**

**Chapter 9: With a Little Help from My Friends  
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_I was walking on thick grass. Ahead there was a tree, leafy, mature._

_I was getting closer to the tree and the boy__ standing underneath it._

_His black robes were flapping slightly in the breeze as he turned to face me.  
_

"_Lily!" he said, calling my name with a smile._

_Behind him, the Hogwarts lake glittered in the afternoon sun.  
_

"_James?"_

"_I've been waiting for you," he said, moving in my direction._

"_And I've been looking for you," I said, brushing aside one of the branches to get closer to him. His smile widened as I came before him._

"_You look beautiful." He tried to kiss me, but I turned away._

"_Not here James, someone might see us snogging and report us or something," I explained, looking around anxiously._

_He reached out for my hand. "If you __don't__ kiss me, then you can bet the __Head Boy_ _will give you detention." _

_He drew me closer. _

_I felt captivated by his eyes, the hazel eyes that were filled with warmth.  
_

_He bent down slightly and kissed me lightly on the lips. Just when he began to draw back, I moved forward and kissed him again._

"_Mmm," murmured James, afterward. "That was delicious. One more..." _

_He moved to kiss me, but I pulled__ back. "Hold on - I came here for you because Dumbledore sent for me, and I wanted you to come with me because then we can also tell him about the plans we've decided on for the Easter Carnival."_

_"Ok, I'll go with you. On one condition."_

"_What is it?"_

_James touched his lips suggestively._

_I grinned and kissed him. "Okay, now can we go?"_

"_Um, I wasn't quite finished," he murmured, leaning in again._

_Half an hour later, we were finally heading up the path that led to the castle. I paused for a second and reached for James's chest. "Your Head Boy badge is a little crooked," I said, straightening it._

"_Thanks. By the way we need to remind Sirius, Peter, and Remus about not pranking the younger years. They seem to have grown cocky after becoming seventh years in the fall."_

_I smiled coyly. "Just Sirius and Remus?"_

"_Peter too!" he said, widening his eyes innocently._

"_And what about James Potter?" I asked, knowing full well that he had been the one who organised most of the pranks._

"_Oh, I'll let you deal with him personally."  
_

_I raised my right eyebrow.  
_

_James picked me up and kissed me to prove his point._

"_James!" I admonished him, once he had set me back down on the ground._

"_Ah, but notice that you didn't protest until after I finished kissing you."_

_I wrinkled my nose at him, and continued down the hall, nearly colliding with Remus Lupin._

"_Lily, I was just with Dumbledore. He wants to see you, urgently." Remus seemed on edge, but then again, he never looked entirely well.  
_

"_What's wrong?" I asked, mildly surprised.  
_

"_I don't know, but you'd better go quick. James, mate, come with me. Sirius and Peter are in the common room waiting for us."_

"_No, no, it's okay," said James hastily, "I need to see the Headmaster anyway."_

"_Fine mate, I'll see you later."_

"_C'mon," said James, reaching for my hand._

_As we approached Dumbledore's office, a red-eyed Professor McGonagall exited. Noticing them, she kept the gargoyle clear. "The Headmaster is expecting you, Evans," she said, avoiding my eyes. "Potter, wait in the common room, she can come get you later if she wants."_

"_He's coming with me," I said firmly, a sense of foreboding letting me know something was very wrong.  
_

"_Very well then," said McGonagall softly. Her eyes met mine for a brief second, but she broke contact and proceeded down the hall._

_Dread began to fill my stomach. I squeezed James' hand even tighter._

_He released my hand and wrapped his arm around my waist comfortingly. "I'm sure everything's fine."_

"_No, there's something about McGonagall… the way she looked at me…"_

"_Don't worry about it." _

_We entered Dumbledore's office._

"_Ms. Evans, Mr. Potter," said the Headmaster in greeting. He was sitting behind his desk, and motioned his hand towards the chairs in front of it. "Please sit down."_

"_If it's alright with you, sir, I'd rather stand," I said, knowing that my face was growing paler with each second that passed._

"_I believe it would be better if you sat."_

_James and I complied with his request. I knew that this couldn't possibly be good._

_Dumbledore surveyed me from behind his half-moon spectacles, his face impossible to read. "Lily, there is no easy way to say this."_

_I began to feel faint as the blood drained from my face._

_He continued slowly, his countenance sorrowful. _"_However, I would rather you hear it from me."  
_

"_S-sir," I said, my voice faltering, "just t-tell me."_

"_Lily, I am exceedingly sorry. I received a letter from the Ministry of Magic – there was an incident in your hometown this morning."_

"_An incident?" asked James._

_Dumbledore continued, his serious gaze entirely focused on me. "I regret to inform you that both of your parents were killed this morning. There was an attack."_

"_W-what?" I squeaked out, my voice barely audible. "N-no, that's im-impossible. I j-just saw th-them at Easter."  
_

"_I am deeply sorry for your loss."_

"_Lily?" said James softly, reaching out for my hand._

"_No!" I rose abruptly from the chair and shoved it away so hard that it crashed into the wall. "This can't be true!" I felt tears sting my eyes._

"_Here is the letter," said Dumbledore, presenting it to me, his eyes full of sympathy._

_I snatched it out of his hands and scanned it quickly._

_As the blurry letters began to make sense, my lower lip began to tremble. "No."_

_I let myself slide down to the floor, clutching the letter tightly in my hands, and leaning against the solid wood of Dumbledore's desk for support. I've never been good at the British stiff upper lip.  
_

"_Lily," said James, sinking down to the floor next to me, and placed a hand on my shoulder._

"_NO!" I screamed again, shoving it off.  
_

"_Please, Lily, let me help –"_

"_M-my mum..."_

"_Please, Lily, come with me–"_

"_No!" I wailed, ripping the letter up. "My parents, my dad!" Hot tears ran freely down my cheeks._

"_Please, let me take you downstairs." His hand was on my shoulder again._

_I shoved it off again and continued leaning against the cold desk._

_In response,__ he wrapped one hand behind my back, the other underneath my legs._

"_Let me go!"  
_

"_No, I won't." He held me tight against him, pulling me into his lap. I felt his lips kiss my forehead. His arms were wrapped around me and all of a sudden my resistance subsided as I simply melted into his arms._

"_James, they're gone!" I sobbed quietly, my tears soaking his shirt._

_He rubbed my back with his hand and brushed my hair out of my face._

"_I have to see them," I whispered, "to believe it."_

"_I'll go with you, but__ we'll think about all that later. Let me take you to your room." He slid his arms under me, picked me up, and carried me out of the office._

_I had a fleeting glance of Dumbledore, who had retreated to another part of his office in order to give us privacy, a strange expression on his wizened face._

_James carried me all the way to Gryffindor Tower, avoiding crowded areas. He mumbled the password to the Fat Lady. As we entered the common room, I saw that Sirius and Peter were waiting for James there. Sirius gave James a questioning glance, and then a group of my friends came up and began asking him questions about me; I was still in his arms._

"_Don't bother her right now," said James, and the look on his face silenced them immediately.  
_

_He headed up the girl's staircase, shifting my weight in his arms. I was momentarily grateful that Head Boys were exempted from the charms and other enchantments that prevented boys from visiting the female dormitories._

_As he gently laid me on my bed, and tenderly brushed my hair behind my ear, I kissed his cheek. "Thank you," I whispered hoarsely._

"_Want me to stay?" asked James._

_I shook my head no. "I need some time alone."  
_

_..  
_

_My parents were buried two days after they had died. James had helped me make all the necessary funeral arrangements._

_Petunia had been as rude to James as I had expected, ignoring him as much as possible and not even thanking him for his help._

_There are simply no words to describe the feeling of watching your parents buried._

_It was a closed-casket funeral, as the Ministry had certain guidelines regarding the burial of magically murdered Muggles. I'd like to say that it was rainy, a dreary day to go with my feeling of sadness, grief, and loss. It wasn't. The sky was sunny, the day hot and damp. The fact that everything looked so fresh and so alive was almost __insulting._

_They were buried side-by-side, they way I knew they would have wanted._

_My mother was first._

_As I watched her casket descend into the earth, I made a secret vow to myself and to my her. I promised her that I would try to be strong and accomplish all the dreams she had had for me – to be successful in my career, marry, have children, and most importantly – to be happy._

_But when my dad was buried, all of my calmness faded away._

"_Dad!" I gasped as his coffin also began to descend, and felt myself become the helpless little toddler he had raised. "Dad!" Tears formed and overflowed as pictured glimpses of the life we had shared. I rushed forward, my outstretched hand brushed the wooden lid just as the casket dropped to the earth. James, who was standing behind me, wrapped his arms in front of me and helped me back to my feet. I began trembling uncontrollably, feeling cold._

_Throughout the whole thing, I felt empty. The only good thing was James, who was with me throughout the whole ordeal._

_

* * *

_"YOU BASTARD!" shouted Lily as she woke up.

She looked around, feeling a little dizzy, but more lucid that she had felt in days. "You bloody bastard, I KNOW you're here, _show your stinking self!_"

No answer. Lily felt the stickiness of tears that had dried on her cheeks, but she couldn't brush them off – her hands were still chained.

"I'm lying on this stupid _board_, my hands and feet shackled like a bloody _animal_, and you're too much of a coward to show yourself!"

She heard a rustling noise off to the right behind a partitioned area. "I take it someone didn't have a good sleep?"

"Councillor, get your slimy arse out here!" she yelled, craning her neck to see.

He appeared, dressed in black robes, his face and head completely covered by the skull mask that he always wore. "My, aren't we vicious?" he said as he walking over to a tray of instruments set on a desk next to her. "You certainly weren't so brave when you were screaming for your _daddy_."

Adrenaline pulsed throughout Lily's body like hot lava, and she futily struggled against the chains, itching to wrap her fingers around his neck. "You filthy bastard! You're so cowardly you wouldn't _dare_ face me if I weren't tied down!"

"Yes, and you're so brave you need _James Potter_ to protect you," he said silkily, his voice dripping with venom.

"It's called being loved," cried Lily, still fighting the chains, ignoring the cut of the cold metal on her wrists. "Not that _you'd _know what that's like. I bet that mask covers a face not even your mother could love!"

Lily felt a sudden stinging pain across her cheek that slammed her head back against the wood. She flinched, but wasn't intimidated. "Oh, and what a surprise, you hit women!" she yelled, angrier than ever.

"Shut up," said the Councillor icily.

"Or what? You'll hit me again?" Lily spat out. "Such _bravery_, what _manhood_, beating a person who can't fight back!"

He didn't answer and disappeared behind the partition again.

"Out of curiosity," Lily said loudly, "how _do_ you know what I see in my visions?"

He came back with another tray full of jars, tubes, flasks, and other potions paraphernalia. "You tell me about them."

"How so?" she said slowly.

"You narrate whatever is happening in your mind."

"What do you mean?"

'"_Your Head Boy badge is a little crooked."'_

Her blood went cold. His way of imitating her was incredibly eerie, and infuriating, and there was nothing she wanted to do more than kill him, _after_ inflicting as much pain on him as possible.

"How can you honestly have the nerve to insult me, yet not have the balls to fight me?"

"I would kill you in a second," he said, rubbing a paste onto Lily's wrists where the chains had cut into her skin when she struggled against them.

She flinched as it stung her flesh. "Shall we try and see?"

"You wouldn't know how to fight me. You depend on strong, powerful and rich men to help you."

"What are you implying by that?" said Lily, glaring at him.

"Let's see… James Potter… Edouard Renoir… you like your men to be in high places."

"I _do not_ pick them for their money. And that's a rather hypocritical comment, coming from you,Councillor," she hissed out, "as you clearly select your friends for their power."

Council Four uncorked a small bottle and bent down over her. "As much as I would like to continue having you hurl childish insults at me, it's time for your second round. You already revealed your worst memory, which was Mummy and Daddy's death and funeral… and you've confirmed your weakness – Potter. So let's see what else I can find out. Open wide."

Lily parted her lips obediently as to not give him the satisfaction of having to force it open, and soon experienced the now almost-familiar sensation of the cold potion slipping down her throat.

"Swallow." He commanded.

_Hmm, maybe… maybe I should just spit it up at him…_

Council Four appeared to have read her thoughts. He reached out and wrapped a clammy hand around Lily's throat. As she resisted, he tightened his fingers slowly, until Lily, gasping for air, was forced to swallow.

"Bastard," she muttered.

"Sticks and stones, Mudblood."

He fumbled with the tray of potions again, selecting a vial filled with a transparent liquid. "Once more," he said, holding the second potion in his right hand. "And do try to avoid giving me the pleasure of strangling you… the other Councillors would be annoyed if you died so soon."

Right then, Lily looked up at him and saw a pair of shallow black eyes glaring back at her in the low firelight. She opened her mouth again, and he poured the mixture down it. She swallowed, smirking at him.

"Your eyes are as black as your soul," she hissed, fading out.

He abruptly stood up and pulled his hood closer down over his face.

"At least my blood isn't mud," murmured Council Four.

Lily blacked out before she could reply.

**

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**London, England  
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_CRACK!_

James Apparated at the Leaky Cauldron just as the first rays of sunlight were tickling across the sky.

He glanced around the pub and saw that the establishment was almost empty except for two wizards eating breakfast at a far corner. Recognizing them immediately, James headed over to greet his two friends and co-workers, Gideon and Fabian Prewett.

"Oi!" called out James.

The flaming red-headed brothers looked up. "James! Come here and join us!" Fabian called back to him, Summoning a chair.

James walked over to them and shook hands with both, then sat down. "So, what are you blokes up to these days?" he said as he signalled the only waitress in sight.

The brothers exchanged a glance. Gideon, the elder, was a stocky wizard with a ruddy complexion and tiny blue eyes. "Actually, we're just getting back from an overnight trip to Hogsmeade," he said, avoiding James's eyes by taking a swig of his coffee; James knew his old Quidditch teammate well enough to recognize he was being evasive.

"I wasn't aware that you two were being sent out on a mission?" asked James, after he had placed his order and the waitress had walked away.

"Well, it wasn't exactly on Ministry business… and we have a message for you from Albus Dumbledore, as it were," commented Fabian, spreading butter on a roll. Fabian had played for Ravenclaw, and was a year below James. He had been considered a Hogwarts heartthrob, and had conserved his good looks – a compact but muscular body, topped with dark red hair and lively blue eyes. The only major change to his features since school had occurred during one of the missions – he had received a curse that left a thin scar that extended from the top of his nose to just below his cheekbone. The scar wrinkled just now as Fabian took a bite from the roll.

"But I saw Dumbledore just last night," said James, slightly confused. "And he didn't mention seeing you."

"He was just informing us on the security situation in Hogsmeade," said Gideon simply.

"Right…" said James, and at the same time wondering what the Prewetts were leaving unsaid. "Have you heard anything about Remus?"

The brothers exchanged another glance. "Yes, apparently he's working for Dumbledore now," answered Fabian, spearing a piece of sausage with his fork.

"I need to talk to him," said James, leaning forward to create an atmosphere of confidence, "but I have no idea where to find him. He doesn't work at the Ministry anymore, and Dumbledore told me that he wasn't at Hogwarts at the moment. Remus hasn't answered the owls I sent yesterday."

"Well, if you want to see him–" started Fabian, but was silenced by a sharp glance from his older brother.

"What?" asked James, "Where is he? Look, I really need to talk to him."

Gideon nodded his head. "Okay."

"Upstairs, room eight," said Fabian, pointing at the stairs with his fork.

"Talk to you boys later then." James stood up. A dark-haired waitress had appeared at his left, holding a tray of food – his food. "Oh, would you pack it up for me, please? I'll pick it up before I leave."

Just as he was about to leave the room, he stopped and called back to the brothers. "Er… in case you need me… I'll be out of town for the next week or so."

Fabian and Gideon nodded knowingly. "Leave some bad guys for the rest of us!" called out Gideon as James walked away.

James smiled curtly and began climbing up the stairs, but changed his mind. He decided to Apparate instead.

_CRACK!_

"'Oo's there?" Remus called from the bathroom. "Moody, if iss 'oo," (gargle, gargle, spit) "for the millionth time, I'm fine, the full moon isn't till next week, " (gargle, spit) " so I promise I can't assassinate you in your sleep, and you don't need to spy on me anymore..." (gargle, gargle, spit)

"If I was a Dark wizard, you'd be dead by now!" called out James drily.

"James?" Remus poked his head out of the bathroom, his face half-covered in shaving cream, dressed in green pyjamas. "And that's exactly why I'm positively thrilled that it's only you." He ducked back in. "So, is the Rescue Lily Evans mission starting today as planned?"

"How did you kn-" James knocked over the tin dustbin by his right foot, and it clanged as it rolled away, bumping on each notch in the wooden floor.

_"Be_ _qui__et!"_ hissed Remus, re-appearing minus the shaving cream. "You'll wake everyone up!"

"Everybody?" asked James.

Remus was hurriedly brushing his hair with a thin comb as he faced James. "Yes. Moody is directly above us, Vance is in the next room to this one, Diggle is in the next room over, and the Prewetts should also be around here somewhere. It'll be a miracle if you didn't wake one of them... especially Moody, who is extremely - and I mean _extremely_ - tetchy about me."

BANG!

The door flew open. In the dim hall light, James could make out a stooped outline with grey frazzled hair.

"Moody?" James called out, refusing to stand up from his comfortable chair. "It's me, Potter."

Alastor Moody stepped into the room, wand at the ready, and yelled "_Solarus_!"

Bright light flowed out of Alastor Moody's wand, filling the room.

"So it is you, Potter," said Moody, stepping into the room suspiciously. "At least, it looks like it's you."

"For Merlin's sake!" Remus, clearly exasperated, turned to his friend. "James, what prank did Sirius pull on Alice Kensington in our fifth year that Frank Longbottom never quite forgave him for?"

"He pinned her undergarments on the Gryffindor banner during the last game of our sixth year," said James without hesitation.

"Very true," said Remus, smiling at the memory. "Satisfied?"

Moody nodded, and exited the room, muttering. "Never can be too careful! Remember that!" He slammed the door shut behind him.

James turned to Remus. "I'm surprised at you; you're usually quite patient towards him."

"Yes, well… Moody didn't let me get a much-needed sleep because he woke me up every time I started to snore because he thought I was becoming a werewolf and would kill everyone in Diagon Alley."

"Fun," said James, at the same time wondering whether Moody ever slept. "Remus–"

"I think I know what you're going to say," said Remus, smiling wearily. "But before you do… James, I'm sorry I didn't tell you I quit."

"Didn't_ tell_ me? You didn't even mention you were even _thinking_ about it!"

"I know. I knew that if I did, you would find a way to convince me to stay."

James sat up in the chair. "Listen, Moony, are you sure you did the right thing? Because if you think that I could have talked you out of it… well, that tells me that you doubted your decision."

Remus yawned audibly. "I know I did the right thing. I just had to make the decision on my own."

"Not on your own," said James, "from what I hear, Dumbledore had a lot to do with it."

Remus smiled sheepishly as he pulled out a satchel from under the bed and took out a clean set of robes. "Yes, well, all he did was invite me to work with him."

"As what?" spat out James, "a _teacher_?"

Remus gave James a look. "There _are _worse things, you know. But I'm no teacher - he offered me the Defence Against the Dark Arts position, but I declined… it's too dangerous, what with my… illness..."

"So what do you do at Hogwarts?"

"I stay a safe distance away from anybody and everybody when it is full moon time," said Remus quietly, examining the fabric of the black robes, his finger lingering on a hole.

"I would certainly hope so."

"That wasn't exactly tactful," said Remus pointedly.

"Sorry, today's not the day to be tactful. As you apparently know already, Sirius and I, plus this new friend of his, are setting out to find Lily."

"Oh," said Remus, pulling the robes down over his head.

"_Oh_? Two of your closest friends are leaving today, possibly to die, and all you can say is _'oh_?'"

"Well, if doesn't exactly come as a surprise... First of all, I knew you would try to rescue her; I never dreamed it would take you this long. Second, Dumbledore told me that you were planning to do it sometime soon." Remus tugged a sock onto his left foot.

"Yes, but I didn't tell Dumbledore that I was going to do it _today_… it's called secrecy."

"Come now Prongs, d'you honestly believe that Dumbledore relies solely on you or the Ministry for information?"

"Of course not," interjected James, "That you knew about it caught me slightly off-guard, that's all."

"You can't afford to be caught off-guard anymore," said Remus, slipping his feet into sturdy shoes. "You've got to be more aware."

"Personally, I think you've been spending too much time with Moody."

Remus smiled tiredly. "I spend entirely too much time with him."

"Really?" said James, taken aback. "How's that?"

"He visits Hogwarts frequently to visit Dumbledore. All right, I'm all dressed, how about we go downstairs for breakfast?"

"No, no, don't change the subject," said James, giving him a sharp look. "I've had it with everyone being cryptic… Dumbledore, the Prewetts, _you_ of all people… Give me a straight answer, I deserve to have one."

"Look," stated Remus, glancing at his watch, "you're already running a little bit late, so why don't we go ahead and go to Gringott's together."

"Incidentally," said Remus as they stepped out into the corridor, "Who was it that recommended that you have breakfast here at the Leaky Cauldron before you went to Gringott's?

"Well, I don't quite see the importance of it, but it was Dumbledore…" James's voice trailed off as something clicked in his mind. "Wait – you mean – he wanted me to come here... to see you?"

Remus smirked slightly. "Took you long enough."

They stepped out into the pub which was now bustling with customers. The Prewetts had already left. "Hold on a sec, let me pick up my food," said James, heading to the counter where Tom, the owner of the establishment, was busy polishing off an apple.

"Why don't we just talk here?" said Remus, gesturing to an empty table. "I'm starving – we ate nothing last night."

"Fine, but let's make it quick – I'm due at Gringotts."

Remus signaled for the dark-haired waitress, who arrived and slapped down a cardboard menu. "Remus, darling, what'll it be?"

"The usual, Lucana, but make it orange juice instead of tea." Remus handed back the menu. "Ah, James here ordered something earlier; can you heat it up for him?"

"Sure thing, hon," said Lucana, and walked over to the kitchen, swinging her hips.

"Come here often?" asked James, raising an eyebrow.

"Often enough."

James selected a roll from the bread basket. "So, want to tell me why Dumbledore wanted us to meet?"

Remus flushed, apparently slightly embarrassed by the question. He looked down at his hands.

"Well?" prompted James, and took a bite from the roll.

"Imsupodrecuta." Remus muttered quickly, talking to the napkin lying in his lap.

"What?" said James with his mouth full, spraying a crumb directly onto Remus's face.

Making a face, Remus lifted the napkin, and dabbed at the spot where the crumb had landed. "Gross."

"Sorry," said James apologetically, "but all I heard was mumbling."

"Right… well…"

"Yes?"

"You see, it's quite complicated…"

"While we're still young, Moony."

"All right, all right," said Remus hastily. "I'm supposed to recruit you."

"Recruit me?" said a surprised James. "That's the big thing? Merlin, the way you were carrying on, I though you were going to announce your engagement to McGonagall or something."

Remus shuddered. "Prongs… that was... uncalled for."

"Well, anyways, what are you trying to recruit me for? The Society for the Promotion of Lycanthopic Welfare?"

"Funny. Not quite." Remus tapped the table. "You see, Dark attacks have been increasing at alarming rates; we know that there is some sort of underground organizarion of them that orders and orchestrates them. The Ministry has yet been unable to stop them, so – "

"Spare me the History of Magic lesson."

"I was just getting to the point," said Remus patiently. "The _point_ is, Dumbledore has taken matters into his own hands. He's created an order of witches and wizards committed to secretly fight these Dark wizards."

James just looked at him unblinkingly.

"Everything okay?" said Lucana, appearing at Remus's elbow and carrying a tray of steaming food.

"Yes, everything fine, Luc, thanks," said Remus quickly, dismissing her. He waited for her to leave before he continued. "So, Prongs, what do you think?"

"Moony, I think you've _definitely_ been spending too much time with Moody, who has never been quite sane." James glanced at his friend, who was devouring his food as if he hadn't eaten in weeks. "Or, maybe this new craziness developed from hunger. Has Dumbledore been feeding you enough?"

"No, I'm not crazy. I'm hungry because, like I said before, I didn't eat last night because the Prewetts and the rest of the Order that's upstairs… well, we did a secret raid last night."

"A raid? Where?" cried James, alert.

"The same place you unsuccessfully tried to raid a few weeks ago. We, however, were successful," said Remus, smiling with satisfaction.

"Oh, stop gloating," said a scowling James. He violently speared a piece of sausage with his fork. "So, you guys raided the Macnairs?"

"Yes, but we can't report it to the Ministry just yet because this isn't about trying criminals, it's about identifying the enemy, learning what they're capable of – and finding their leader."

"That's the biggest bunch of speculative crap I've heard all week," said James, leaning back in his seat. He chewed on a strip of bacon thoughtfully.

"So, you're in then?" said Remus, smiling.

James grinned. "But of course, old chap. I can't let you run off and have dangerous fun without me. Man, I can't wait to tell Padfoot about this. Maybe even Wormtail."

Remus's smile faded. "Er – James – you know I'd love Sirius to be in the Order with us, but, well, some of the members know of Sirius's background – his family – and they are uncomfortable about him joining."

"WHAT?" roared James, his face contorted with fury. "Sirius had worked for years to get rid of that horrid reputation! He renounced his family ties when he was still at Hogwarts! For that he was _disowned_, Remus, remember, when he was still so young!"

"Shhh, keep it down!" implored Remus, glancing at the nearby breakfasters whose heads were turning around to look at them. "You certainly don't have to tell me about Sirius's loyalties – I know where they lie."

"You know what?" said James indignantly, "I can't join a bunch of prejudiced bigots who discriminate against my best friend," he said, pounding his fist. "And don't you _dare_ say that prejudiced and bigot means the same thing."

"I wouldn't dream of it," said Remus, the corners of his mouth twitching.

"Yes, well, if he's not allowed to join, I'll take it as a personal insult."

"I knew you would react this way," said Remus, sighing, "Well, I'll tell the Order. However, before I leave, let's discuss your travel plans."

"What are you talking about?"

"We know you're going undercover, and regardless of whether you're joining or not, we, Dumbledore, I and a few others, are going to help you part of the way."

"Why would you help me?" said James suspiciously. "No matter what her personal value is to me, Lily's only one witch and you could be out saving several others."

"We have several contacts and information that would be unavailable to you through the Ministry."

"Such as?" asked James, stuffing a piece of toast in his mouth.

"Well, we found out several interesting things at the Macnairs' last night."

"Again, such as?"

"Macnair is definitely involved with these Dark wizards."

"I knew it!" said James triumphantly, grinning.

"Yes, but you couldn't prove it, could you?" smirked Remus. "Anyway, he's looking for new recruits. The only requirement seems to be that one must be a pureblood, and being wealthy is even better."

"You've described me almost perfectly – you're only missing the dashingly handsome bit," said James, smirking.

"No, I didn't, I hear Macnair doesn't like pretty boys, so try not to be your usual pansy, okay?"

James threw a roll at him, narrowly missing Remus's right eye.

"Mature," commented Remus, "but to continue, I have a question for you."

"And it's something I'm not going to like, is it?"

"Probably not," said Remus collectedly, "but, well, I know you were planning to go undercover as a Dark wizard. Our suggestion is that you start as someone who wishes to join them, join the Dark wizards – and be recruited by Macnair."

"Lovely," muttered James disgustedly, "nothing could give me a greater pleasure. What about Sirius?"

"The same – a recruit. His story shall be that he has decided that his family was always right, pureblood-ness is righteousness, and Dark is the only way to go."

"Moony, Sirius's family was never proven to be Dark," James whispered in a strong undertone.

Remus looked around and then leaned closer to James. "It has been now."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"His brother, Regulus."

"What about him?" asked James, visibly shaken up.

"We saw him leaving the house with Macnair. He's one of his new recruits. Once they left, we went inside… and inside the house… in the cellar…" Remus gave an involuntary shudder.

"What did you see?" asked James, certain that it was something that he _really_ didn't want to hear.

"When Dumbledore went to see you yesterday night… did he mention that the body of a wizard taken at the Welcoming Ball had been found?"

James nodded. His throat had gone dry.

"I was the one that found him."

"Oh shit!"

"Yeah… so we're more than sure that Regulus is at the very least about to be recruited."

"That still doesn't lessen Sirius' standing," said James defensively.

"I'm not the one that needs convincing," said Remus gently.

"I know… I know! It's just that… damn it all."

They sat in silence for a few minutes, without touching their plates. They had both lost their appetites.

"Moony… what about Marlene?" said James suddenly.

"What about her?"

"What is she going to be if Sirius and I are both acting as recruits?"

"She'll be your back-up, alerting us if anything goes wrong. She'll make any potions you need, but won't be walking into direct danger."

"I'll have a hard time convincing Marlene to stay back…" said James slowly. Just then, their plates disappeared, and their drinks were magically refilled. James turned and nodded thanks to Lucana, who was standing behind the counter.

"Just establish leadership," said Remus, once James has turned around again.

"Yeah, that'll be easy – she's a feminist, Moony, for Merlin's sake," said James, in the same tone as if he was saying that Marlene was infected with the plague.

"You'll figure it out. One other thing. When they ask you about your extended absence at the Ministry, tell them the truth – that you asked for an extended leave to rescue Lily, whom you liked in Hogwarts. Say that even though she's a 'Mudblood' (remember to say it sneeringly), you still want her back, because she's yours." Remus averted his eyes so that he wouldn't have to look at James. "Act as if you feel she were more of a possession than a human."

"Tell them that I want a Mudblood back? Yeah, they'll _love _to hear that."

"Exactly… you'll establish for certain that you are an arrogant bastard who isn't afraid to demand what he wants… they like arrogant bastards, especially when they're filthy rich like you."

James glared at Remus half-heartedly. "Funny."

"Well, you only have to go undercover for a little while, and then you'll have what you want, which is Lily back, and the Order will have what they want – two new members."

James sipped his drink pensively. "Marlene and I… because you said they didn't like Sirius… so…"

"Not Marlene… we haven't given her complete clearance, so please don't mention the Order to her… actually, I was talking about you and Lily."

"WHAT?" yelled James, spraying juice across the table.

Remus silently dabbed at his face with a napkin again, knowing that it was better to just remain quiet.

Anger surged through James. "And expose her to even more danger? Put her back in a place where she could be re-kidnapped – or _murdered_?"

"Prongs!" whispered Remus, "keep it down!"

James looked around and saw that a couple of people watching them. He took a deep breath and continued in a lower voice. "Read my lips, Moony. As soon as I have her back in my arms, she is never leaving them again – never. I will always keep her in a safe place."

Remus stifled a snort. "I'd like to see you try-" He stopped when he saw the look on James's face.

"I thought you're supposed to be the sensitive one of the four of us," said James, visibly annoyed.

"Well, the Order takes away any reservedness I may have… On the serious side James, one thing you've got to start thinking about is that Lily may not want to stay here in Britain… she may want to go back to France."

James stared at Remus as if he had just escaped from St. Mungo's Mental Department.

Remus avoided James's eyes. "She may have some sort of relationship or what have you…"

"Moony," stated James, fighting to keep his tone unaffected. "What do you know?"

"I don't know anything," said Remus hastily.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"Good."

**

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**Location Unknown**

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_The day after my parent's funeral, James and I were sitting on the porch swing just outside of my house… my parent's house._

_We had spent the day receiving phone calls of people giving their condolences. Petunia and I had been taking hour shifts to answer them, and right now it was her turn._

_James, who had been wandering around my hometown gawking and exclaming at perfectly normal Muggle things like mailboxes and paperclips, came home just as she took over the phones. He pulled me outside, and we sat down on the large wicker swing, enjoying the breeze. He was gently rocking us back and forth with his foot._

"_James… I miss them," I said, leaning my head on his shoulder._

"_I know." He gently pushing the tangled red hair out of my face._

"_All I have left is Petunia. And... she hates me." Pain went through me as I said those words._

_James tried his best to comfort me. "Petunia just has a perpetual stick up her arse."_

_I smiled weakly, but it faded rapidly. "She thinks it's my fault that they died."_

_James looked at me, tenderness evident in his face and in his warm hazel eyes. "You know that's not true, right? She's jealous of you for being a witch, but you can't help what you are," James said firmly. "Plus, why would you want to be a Muggle? I met a little kid today with a hard thing on his arm made of plaster, and when I asked him what happened, he said he broke it falling off something called a scooper and it would lake months to heal…" James looked bewildered at just the thought. "See, me, I'd rather get it fixed in ten minutes. You're better off as a witch."_

_"It's 'scooter'... And thanks… but I still can't help feeling that it's my fault."_

"_When we get away from this stifling place, and go back to Hogwarts, things will get better."_

_I sat up and looked at him straight in the eye. "How can it possibly be better there?"_

"_Well, for one… your sister won't be spying on us from the parlour window."_

_..  
_

_The next morning, James and I were expectantly waiting for the taxi cab that would take us to King's Cross Station. We were sitting on the loveseat in the parlour, in front of the window. James was staring outside, clearly anxious to leave. I was trying to avoid Petunia's glares from where she was sitting primly on a white armchair across the room. Her fingers were occupied with her knitting._

"_I can't wait for you to take your Apparition tests," sighed James, turning around and putting his hand on mine. He had taken his test the day after he turned seventeen – my birthday wasn't until next month. "Not that I mind – much – but then we wouldn't have to mess with taxis and the like."_

"_Apparition tests?" asked Petunia, speaking to us for the first time that morning._

"_Yes," said James, and, winking at me, he launched into a whole explanation about Apparating and Disapparating, and how one can accidentally leave parts of your body behind. "It's called splinching. Like the first time I tried it… well, let's just say that the Healers were eventually able to pop my left eye back in. They usually can fix it, you know, but Great Uncle Albert had to learn how to write left-handed…"_

_He would have kept going, except I elbowed him in the ribs. Hard._

"_James!" I hissed, as Petunia, horrified, turned back to her knitting with a renewed vigour.  
_

_Petunia's needles were clickety-clicketing in time with her chattering teeth._

"_You're horrible," I whispered in his ear half-heartedly. "And you don't even have a Great Uncle Albert."_

_James smirked back at me.  
_

_Right then, we heard the honk of the taxi cab, parked just outside of our house._

_James rushed to the door, clearly glad to be free._

_I followed him slowly, no match for his energy – he was picking up our luggage and the boxes of my parent's belongings that they had left me, and carrying them to the car as he whistled._

"_Bye, Petunia," I said, calling to her from the front door, hoping against hope for an answer._

_She never replied._

_Feeling hollow, I walked out to the car._

_..  
_

_Two weeks after we got back to Hogwarts, I still felt like I was sinking, drowning in a despair that I couldn't get rid of. My grades? Oh, they stayed up – I'd turned to school with an almost religious fanaticism. Anything to keep my mind off them. The pain wasn't so bad when I was busy… it was the moments when I was alone at night, in my dorm. The sleepless nights when all I could do was toss and turn, waiting for the morning to come so that I could go to class. I didn't even pray for sleep; my dreams had been plagued with memories of my parents, and each one would end with their faces disappearing into black caskets as they were buried at their funeral._

_In the worst of my nightmares, they were buried alive.  
_

_I was curled up in an armchair by the window in an isolated corner of the common room, a book in my lap, fervently taking notes on the seventeen variations of Switching spells. I was hidden from view from most of the room by the tall bookcases in front of me when he found me.  
_

"_Lily, I've been looking for you all over…" James said, climbing in through the portrait hole. "Alice finally told me where you were."_

_I didn't respond._

"_Lily?" He asked again, sliding onto the couch next to me. "What's wrong?"_

"_What, you mean my parents' murder isn't enough?" I said bitterly, cringing inwardly at the sharpness of my tone._

_James hung his head, embarrassed._

_I squeezed my eyes shut. "Oh god, I'm sorry. I just…"_

_He wrapped his arms around me. "Are you sure nothing different happened today?"_

"_Nothing that hasn't happened since I got back." Noticing the confusion on his face, I decided to elaborate. "I've heard people talking… about me. How I'm such a bloody mess, that I can't do anything myself, that I'm making you miserable by clinging to you – basically that this is just a desperate attempt for attention."_

_James fists were clenched, and his jaw muscle was hard. "Who has been saying these things?" he demanded, his voice full of anger._

"_It's not important."  
_

"_The hell it isn't!" yelled James. "I'll curse their bloody brains out!"_

"_It's not that they don't deserve it, but I just don't want any more drama right now."_

"_Fine!" declared James, scowling as he slumped in his seat._

"_James, please don't sulk," I said, a smile threatening to appear on my face. "It hardly becomes a Potter."_

_James raised an eyebrow at me, but continued in his position._

"_All right, that's it." I leaned over and tickled him on the ribs – his Achilles' heel._

_James started giggling, and I mean giggling, as soon as I touched him. "Stop!" he said, tears coming out of his eyes as he began howling with laughter, "please, stop!" he grabbed me from my waist, and began tickling me too, and between both of us laughing and moving and kicking about, we somehow, quite conveniently, ended with me straddling him as he laid on the couch._

_He looked up at me, his hazel eyes boring into mine. I leaned down and kissed him; his hand tightened around my waist._

_It was the first real, passionate kiss that we'd shared had since my parents had died. I caressed his cheek, and he pulled me closer._

_We were really getting into it - James hand drifted below my lower back, my fingers tangled in his hair, our lips were warming each other's - when a voice behind us interrupted our fun._

"_Ahem…" I looked up and saw Remus standing there, leaning against a bookcase. I quickly climbed off James, and straightened my shirt._

"_Damn it Moony!" cursed James, "Can't a wizard make out with his girlfriend in peace around here?"_

_I blushed furiously at his comment, and turned to Remus. "We weren't making out… we were... ah... studying."_

"_Studying?" cried James, fixing me with a glance._

"_Yes… Transfiguration."  
_

"_Actually, it looks like I got here before any -er- transfiguration could happen," Remus said, stifling a laugh._

"_Moony, why are you here?" said James, groaning. "Do you have a point?"_

"_Yes, actually.… Padfoot was wondering if you were planning on cancelling Quidditch practice again today."_

"_Consider practice cancelled. Lily and I have some catching up to do," responded James, kissing my cheek._

_I blushed even harder, "James!" I protested, turning away._

"_Uh, Prongs…" said Remus, "I mean, not that I really care, I'm not even on the bloody team, but… I don't think Peter could stand it if you cancelled practice again. Each time you have, Sirius has been improving his Transfiguration talents – I believe he's turned Peter into a different marsupial each of the five times you've cancelled practice. He was a koala on Saturday, a kangaroo on Monday… I think yesterday he was a wallaby."_

_Lily elbowed him in the ribs._

_James sputtered. "What was that for?" he said, rubbing the new sore spot._

"_Don't cancel practice today."_

"_Why not? I think you and I might be… too busy," he said, raising his eyebrow suggestively. _

"_James, come on. You have a responsibility to your team - how would you like it if Slytherin beat you next week?"_

_James's eyes narrowed. "That would never happen."_

"_You should still train… plus… you could use something to release all your pent-up energy."_

"_How do you know I have pent up energy?"_

_I leaned over. "That kiss… it was quite passionate," I whispered into his ear._

"_Ugh, Lily, no offense but you really need to learn how to whisper, I think the whole castle heard that," said Remus, shaking his head. _

_I felt my face flare up and I knew it had turned crimson._

_Taking pity on me, Remus turned back to James and changed the subject. "So, is there practice or not?"_

_James looked at me for confirmation, and I nodded. "Ok, there'll be practice today. I'll go up and pick up my broomstick," he said, following Remus out of the room._

_I lounged in the armchair for a few seconds, and then remembered that James had a book of mine that I needed in order to do the rest of my homework. I headed up the stairs to boys' dorms; I could hear James and Remus's footsteps above me. They reached the door of their room just as I was halfway down the dark corridor. They couldn't see me, but I knew they were there. For some reason, they had paused outside the door, and, as I got nearer, I heard what was unmistakably Sirius Black's voice on the other side of the door._

"… _and that's all James does anymore, comfort Lily. It's always Lily this, Lily that, 'Lily needs me right now'… Remus is probably on his way up here to tell us that practice is cancelled because James needs to cuddle poor Miss 'I-Can't-Do-Anything-By-Myself-Anymore-Save-Me-James-Save-Me'…"_

_Right then, I suppose James had heard enough. He swung open the door, and he and Remus stepped inside. They were received by the surprised faces of Sirius and Peter, faces that immediately took on horrified expressions.  
_

"_J-James…" squeaked Peter, "uh… are y-you having p-practice today?"_

"_Shut up," James snapped at him, and turned his eyes toward Sirius. "What the hell were you just saying about my girlfriend?" he said, his voice low and dangerous._

"_Prongs, look, I'm sorry but it's the truth," said Sirius, looking quite awkward and as if he wished he could be anywhere in the world other than that precise room. "It seems to be all about Lily now."_

"_IT IS ALL ABOUT HER!" thundered James. "Her parents died! You should try to be understanding!"_

"_I don't want his pity," I murmured, stepping inside and making my presence known for the first time. "And he can never understand."_

"_Lily?" said Sirius, looking even more uncomfortable. "Uh, how long were you standing out there?"_

"_Long enough," I said shortly. "I came up here looking for my Arithmancy book."_

_Peter scuttled off to James's side of the room, and came back with my book clutched in his hands._

"_As I said," I continued, turning to Sirius, "you can never understand. D'you want to know why?" I said, walking until I was standing right in front of him._

"_Because my parents are alive?" said Sirius, a hint of bitterness in his tone._

"_No. It's because you barely even know your parents. You've never even felt true parental love from them, the unconditional kind that comes with simply being their child. No, you never felt that love," I said, looking straight into his grey eyes. "And so, you can never miss it. I miss that love," I said, my voice cracking slightly, "and I'll miss it and my parents every day of my life."  
_

_With that, I turned and left their room, hurrying down the corridor, my robes flapping behind me, and tears running freely down my cheeks._

_I ran through the common room, and just as I was almost in the girl's staircase, a strong pair of arms reached out and pulled me back._

"_Lily."_

"_I have nothing more to say to you, Black," I said defiantly, turning back towards the staircase._

_He pulled me back again. "I hope not, because what you said back there was certainly enough."_

_I looked at him and saw for the first time – ever – the trace of tears in Sirius's eyes. I began to feel ashamed of what I'd said, but I was by no means going to apologise. "What do you want?" I said, crossing my arms._

"_Look, you're right, my parents have disowned me, and they hate me. You're wrong, though, if you think I don't understand."_

"_Then why are you being so difficult lately?"_

"_You take up all of James's time," he said, unblinkingly. "And I guess it just bothers me. I know, it sounds stupid… but everything is about you with him."_

"_That's not my fault!" I yelled, pulling away. "I've tried to get him to stop –"_

"_He can't – he cares about you too much," said Sirius, his eyes telling her that what he said was true._

"_Oh stop!" I cried, more tears coming out of my eyes. "Don't say those things! Don't make this harder for me than it already is!" _

_Sirius stared at me. "What the hell are you talking about? Make what harder? Are we still talking about the same thing here?"_

_I remained quiet._

"_You – you aren't going to break up with him… are you?" said Sirius incredulously._

"_Why, would it make all your dreams come true?" I asked bitterly._

"_No, James would be miserable… Are you breaking up with him?" said Sirius, angrily this time._

"_It's not that simple," I mumbled._

"_Then what is it? Make what harder?"_

_I took a deep breath and decided to tell him. "I'm leaving. Leaving Hogwarts. Tomorrow."_

"_What?" yelled Sirius. "To go where?"_

"_I've been talking to McGonagall and Dumbledore… they agree it's the best thing. They got me admittance into Beauxbatons in France to finish the year," I said, fighting to keep my voice calm and steady._

"_How can you do this to James?" Sirius yelled, his voice beyond control. "This will destroy him."_

"_It's better for us this way. I need to come to terms with my parents' death, but I need to leave this place to do it."_

"_He doesn't know that you're leaving, does he?"_

"_Of course not. It's easier without good-byes."_

"_He at least deserves the chance to say it!" cried Sirius. "You do realize that as his best friend, I have to tell him?"_

"_Please, Sirius, please, for me - for James - don't. It's better that I leave without him trying to hold me back."_

"_Even so… he'll go after you. To France."_

"_I have to take that chance," I whispered. "Promise me you won't tell him that I'm leaving."_

_Sirius smiled humourlessly. "My word's not worth a blasted knut. But sure, I promise."_

_And with that, he left, leaving me to ponder and wonder and worry about whether or not he would tell James that I was leaving Hogwarts the next day._

**

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A/N: Ok… that wasn't exactly a cliff-hanger, but I figured this was the best place to stop – it was getting kind of long.

I already have a lot of the next chapter written – call it being out of school and being sick – I've gotten a lot done.

And PLEASE, R/R!

Comments to reviewers: due to the large amount of reviews (I blush as I say this), I can only answer to a few (it's late, I'm about to pass out)

- **lena-jade**, you said "One nitpick: I think it was Moody who said Constant Vigilance... Oh, but you said that because Crouch was Moody, right? But remember, it was Barty Crouch JR. not Barty Crouch."

I'm aware which Barty Crouch took on the role of Alastor Moody in GoF. However, since that had not happened yet, I was talking about Barty Crouch Senior. It WAS Moody who always said 'constant vigilance'. In my Chapter Eight, Crouch says "in the words of my predecessor, constant vigilance." According to my story, Moody is the predecessor. (By the way, predecessor means whoever had that job before the one who is currently in that position.) Sorry if it was confusing!

**-Lolua **– you caught a big mistake of mine, tsk tsk, I should be ashamed of myself for calling Madeleine 'Renoir' instead of 'Le Vau'… not even my beloved beta caught that mistake. cough (STEPHANIE I HOPE YOU'RE READING THIS) cough he he he, anyways, your review was quite flattering! Well, Remus won't be along for most of the ride, but hey, he's important in this chapter, and he told us of the plans (which you wanted to find out about), so in a way, I compromised. And your prediction about Council Four, well, I'm not saying anything, but it was a very logical guess!

Sorry,** dancinquyn**, but NO, Lily's fiancée did not die in the attacks, as was revealed in this chapter…

**MWPP&Me** – hmmm you made a good guess on a certain person… won't say more! ;)


	10. Young Blood

**A/N:** Hey everybody! I can believe the number of reviews! Thanks so much! I'll answer your individual reviews at the bottom of the page!

Ok guys, I had a bit of writer's block, but during it, I did a lot of brainstorming, and I've got the next three chapters pretty well planned out, so they should come out soon, except for a small factor – I'm starting college this fall! But I'll still update whenever possible.

Ok, one thing… I'm not sure if there really is a room provided for the head students at Hogwarts… but I made one up for my story. I figure, if there can be a prefect's bathroom, there can be a room for the heads… you'll see what I mean.

_A big GRACIAS to my new beta-reader, _**p3charmed**_! Couldn't have done it without her British input! _

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**THE BEWITCHMENT OF JAMES POTTER  
**

**Chapter 10: Young Blood**

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Five figures in dark robes made their way down the old cobblestone street, their black cloaks flapping behind them in the brisk wind. Each step they took was in perfect unison, and loud taps resonated off the abandoned buildings with each black-booted stride. This was one of the uglier parts of London – an old street near the docks of the lower Thames, the kind of street where dodgy businessmen meet outside abandoned warehouses to conduct their dodgy businesses.

The wizards arrived in front of one of the more rundown facilities. Their leader indicated the alley to its left; the wizards followed, ignoring the rats and other large rodents that scurried as they approached. When they reached a side door, the one who had pointed out the alley took a step forward and knocked.

A sllit opened at the top of the door. "Identify yourselves!"

The one who had led the other wizards here procured a piece of parchment from the interior of his robes and passed it through the viewpoint.

The small opening slammed shut.

Seconds later, the entire door slid open.

Two witches were standing a few feet behind the doorway. Their heads and faces were covered by a dark veil that made them look like the attendees of a gothic funeral. The only lighting came from two torches each witch held in a shrivelled, claw-like hand.

"Don't light your wands," said one of the witches. Her voice was raspy and high-pitched, the voice of an old woman's.

"Follow us," commanded the other witch in an identical voice.

"And don't stray away."

"For there are things that lurk in the dark corners."

And with that, the two witches, moving with surprising agility, led the five wizards through a maze of dirty, musty corridors, floors littered with debris and empty bottles. They went down a set of rickety stairs that were probably held up by magic, and arrived at a long corridor.

At the end the corridor they beheld a door tall and wide enough that a large giant could have fit through without having to stoop. The door was set into a stone wall, contrasting greatly with the cheap wood and old brick that had prevailed through out most of the warehouse. However, its size was by far not the most remarkable thing about it.

The door was wrought entirely out of solid silver.

The witches placed their torches on the hooks on the wall on either side of it. The flames' reflections flickered across the shiny polished surface, and a shelf was visible just above the torch on the right. On the shelf was a row of skulls masks. The one marking that interrupted the door's perfection – a single snake was engraved into the silver in the place where one would normally expect a doorknob to be.

Just then, the door opened noiselessly, but the others were unable to see just what was inside it – it was pitch black past the torches. A tall wizard came out of the doorway, his face completely covered by a silver skull mask.

The wizard dismissed the pair of witches with a wave of his hand; they left without another word. The new wizard proceeded to speak to the wizard who had led them to the warehouse.

"Any trouble on the way?" he asked, his voice cold and sharp.

"None," replied the other, bowing his head – it was obvious that the tall wizard outranked him.

The tall wizard nodded. "You may go now. Tell them to call a meeting on the Dark Lord's orders."

The lower-ranking wizard bowed again and walked up to the door - and then it was as if the wizard had simply disappeared within it.

The tall wizard addressed the remaining four wizards.

"The four of you have had the honour of being asked to join the noble Brotherhood of Death Eaters. The four of you are what we call 'blood-brothers' – a group of four wizards admitted at the same time. The only names of our members that you will probably ever know are those of your blood-brothers. Before you were extended an invitation, you went through a thorough background investigation. The Dark Lord wanted to know who you were and whether you were worthy of his recognition. It may have taken you years to gain our acceptance. It may have taken you weeks. It depended entirely on your merits."

He sized them up, shaking his head slightly as to let them know that they were substandard.

"So let us begin. Each of you will lower your hood to reveal your face, and then you will state your name clearly. Once all of you have done so, a book will appear; sign your name. You may then enter the silver door, but before you do so, select a mask from the shelf. You are to wear hoods and masks all the times here, as secrecy is the key to your survival!"

With that warning in place, he too disappeared behind the humongous silver door.

The four remaining wizards turned towards each other, all hesitating, all waiting to see who would be bold enough to go first.

After two minutes of this, one of them became very impatient.

"For fuck's sake, what are we, a bunch of infants? _I'll_ go first then." The wizard stepped forward, and as he faced them he pulled down his hood. "James Potter," he said, in a loud, clear voice that rang off the walls.

James had a right to be impatient. It had been two months since Lily was kidnapped. There had been no sign of Lily. The one thing that had spurred James on was that the bodies of all the other witches and wizards that had been captured with her had all turned up - in secluded woodlands, left drifting upriver, in deserted alleyways, it didn't matter, they had all been found. James knew she had to be alive - or, rather, he wouldn't allow himself to think of the alternative - and knew that he had to get to her before they could change that fact.

After making his plans with Crouch and Lupin, it had taken Sirius and he this long to be invited to join the Brotherhood of Death Eaters, as they now knew the organization was called by its members - although, even James had to concede, six weeks was a ridiculous short amount of time relative to the time it took the average Dark wizard to merit admittance. James, however, was no average wizard. He had given them gold. Lots of cold, hard gold.

He glared at the other wizards, and turned to the wizard that had been on his right. "Come on Padfoot, don't sissy out on me."

The other wizard shrugged and stepped forward, standing next to his best friend. As he pulled down his hood, he said his name in a quieter voice than James had. "Sirius Black."

The other two wizards finally decided to follow suit and removed their hoods as well.

Sirius sucked in a sharp breath, immediately recognizing one of them.

"Evan Rosier, III."

Although James had never met Rosier, he had met Evan Rosier, the Second, and had been introduced Rosier's sister Elphaba in the hopes of a match. Although they had certainly had their fun together, it just hadn't worked out.

Rosier looked quite like his father and sister: high cheekbones, a head full of dark brown curls, and a set of pale green eyes. He was much shorter than Sirius, but only about two inches less than James, and looked like the fresh graduate of Hogwarts that James knew him to be.

James turned his eyes away from Rosier and glanced at the other wizard. He saw immediately what had caused Sirius's displeasure. James had only seen this wizard twice before, but the family resemblance was obvious, and he knew exactly who it was.

**

* * *

**

"You've been here exactly two months."

"You've got to be _joking_."

Lily closed her eyes briefly. She had been in this _hellhole_, held captive by Dark wizards, and forced to relieve her worst memories over and over again._ For only two months?_

It had seemed more like two years. And yet - the fact that she was here, at all, wasting her life away...

"Damn it!" she yelled, and kicked the ceramic mug from which she had been sipping tea off the bed.

"Behave yourself," snapped Councillor Four as he fiddled with the bottles and vials on Lily's bedside table. "You are the one who insisted on knowing."

"If you didn't keep me constantly doped up and unconscious, I would be able to keep track of time myself."

As usual, he ignored her.

Lily rolled her eyes and lay back against the bed.

She had been relocated to this room after her first week in captivity. This large dank room was clearly at least in the cellars of the place, possibly in what used to be dungeons. It included a small, molding twin bed and termite-nibbled bedside table for Lily, but most of the room was reserved for Potions paraphernalia. The walls were covered in shelves that held jars containing a variety of ingredients. Long tables were set all around the perimeter: one was used specifically for chopping herbs and plants, another was exclusively for parts of magical animals, and so on, all around the room, except in the far corner where, instead of there being yet another long table, there were five portable fireplaces set up. They were constantly in use, making different potions simultaneously.

The smell was yet another element that made Lily's life in the room a living hell – she could identify the stench of a Port-a-Potty, the irritating fragrance of the powdery perfume old ladies seem to prefer, and the reek of rancid skunk road kill. All at once.

Lily shuddered to think what _she_ smelled like after living there for two months.

She knew that she was in a rather dark place, psychologically speaking, very depressed. There had been not a single opportunity for escape in the entire two months she had been there, much as she had tried. She had even dared to hope that the French Ministry of Magic or at least the British Ministry would send _someone_ to find out what happened to her. Surely they had noticed that all the other bodies had turned up, but that she was still missing.

_And why hasn't Eduard sent someone to get me? He said he loved me, he said he wanted to marry me. That means he would want to spend the rest of our lives together… wouldn't he want to get me out of here so that I can do that? Merlin knows he has the resources. Not that I would expect him to succeed – this place seems like a bloody fortress. If I'm ever going to get out, it's going to have to be up to me. I'll just have to find the opportunity - besides, what kind of feminist waits around for the men in her life to take charge? What kind of Gryffindor expects others to save the day?_

_ I can and will get out of here on my own._

_But still… two months, and nothing. No word about Edoaurd. I've heard nothing about him. Doesn't he even care?_

Lily closed her eyes tightly as a tear of pure frustration threatened to leak out.

_I will not bloody cry. I'm a strong person. I kick ass in duels. I can get myself out of this place, or at least stay alive as long as possible. Even if no rescue mission comes, when the Ministry finally discovers this place and arrests all the Dark wizards, they'll have to let me out. I certainly don't mind having my life saved as an afterthought!_

There was another person Lily's mind other that Edouard. _A dark-haired, hazel-eyed, long-nosed somebody…_

But Lily pushed the thoughts of James out of her mind. _ James was my first boyfriend, yes. Edouard is my future._

Her conscience wasn't quite willing to let her by that easily, and the little voice in her head nagged at her:_ what with _Councillor_ Four's preferred torture method, isn't it true that you already spend far too much time thinking of him than is appropriate for a woman engaged to another man?  
_

The scraping noise of the dungeon door interrupted her thoughts.

A small creature that looked like a small friar in his dirty brown potato sack tied in the middle with a piece of rope came in with a wooden tray, which it deposited on one of the empty tables.

"Anything else you desire, your Councillor-ness sir?" the house-elf squeaked.

"No."

The house elf bowed, his nose scraping the floor, and he exited, the door creaking shut behind him.

"Evans. Lunch."

By now they had established a mealtime routine. The cords that confined her disappeared, and Lily walked over to the table where the decrepit house-elf had left her tray. Chains wound their way around her ankles and waist, immobilizing her lower half and binding her to the floor. Sighing miserably, she began chewing a kind of dark meat that was mercifully unrecognizable.

She had learned in her first few days that it was better not to ask what she was eating. The answers had been disturbing enough to curb her appetite.

_And I have to eat. I have to survive this._

Councillor Four sat down on the far end of the table and quietly watched her eat.

After a few minutes, Lily looked right at him. "Do you mind?" she said loudly. "I can't eat if you're staring at me."

He abruptly stood up, knocking over his chair. It hit the floor with a loud bang.

"I assure you, Evans, that nothing gives me more displeasure and utter disgust than ever having laid eyes on a repugnant Mudblood such as yourself!"

And with that, he walked over to one of the cauldrons and began vehemently stirring the potion. Lily rolled her eyes, accustomed to his outbursts.

When she had finished eating, he looked up at her and snapped, "Time for another dose."

"Looking forward to it," said Lily, smirking, although her hand trembled as she poured herself a little bit more juice.

As the chains unfolded from around her, she got up and walked over to the bed. As she lay down, he handed her two vials.

She downed them both without complaint. Even nightmares provided an escape from the dungeon.

* * *

_We were in the Head Boy and Girl's Room – a room provided for us that included two large desks, bookcases, and other things to help us with our studies and student leader duties.  
_

_Except that we rarely did much actual studying there. _

_James was sitting in his chair at his desk… and I was sitting on James. _

_Our eyes were almost level, give or take a few centimetres._

_As usual when we were alone, we were kissing. Really__ kissing. _

_But unbeknownst to him, I was actually saying goodbye._

_James broke off and looked into my eyes. "What are you thinking?" _

_"Nothing… I was enjoying this kiss – every second of it." I tried to keep from blushing. James and I hadn't been the most verbally expressive couple before my parent's death, and we tended to balk from touchy-feely stuff, so my saying this was different. _

_"I love it when you kiss me and we're together like this," I continued, my eyes connecting with his. I wanted to say more, so much more, but I didn't – to protect him, to keep him from hurting as long as possible. I knew it would be bad for him when I left the next day without telling him. But this way, in my own way, I was. I was saying goodbye on my own terms._

_"Of course you do. It's me you're kissing, after all," said James in a jokingly cocky way, one eyebrow raised and everything._

_I smiled and brushed my lips on his softly. "Especially since no one's around. No Sirius!"_

_"He does tend to stop us from getting hot and steamy. Like now, when you're talking about him instead of kissing me."_

_Just as he was about to capture my lips and bring me into a deep kiss, I pulled back. "I love kissing you." _

_James smiled back and his eyes lingered on my lips softly. "Mmm. I kind of like it too... a little. Okay, a lot. Now can we stop talking about kissing and actually kiss?"_

_I smiled back at him and his hand moved from behind my shoulder and drifted down to the small of my back. _

_And then James kissed me._

_Every one of the kisses James had ever given me was an experience in itself. Sometimes the kisses were rough and invigorating, and at other times they seemed gentle and searching, but the way our lips were touching, feeling, and exploring each other's right then… is simply indescribable._

_His lips lifted from my mouth, but not from my skin. "I love every minute I spend with you," said James, his voice hot against my cheek and neck. "I love the way you taste."  
_

_"Taste?" I repeated, trying to keep from squirming. I knew why I was being so mushy, but why did he have to go and say that kind of thing? _

_"Oh yes. Taste." He illustrated his point by running his lips along the sensitive skin under my jawbone, his tongue tickling my flesh. "And I love the way you smell, and I love the way you drive me insane." The hand at the small of my back pulled me closer; his other hand was on the side nape of my neck, his thumb tracing its curve._

_"Insane?" How I wished he didn't turn me into such a puddle of mush that I couldn't even respond but for repeating his last words!_

_"Uh-huh, insane. And, I love to touch you." _

_"Ow!" I exclaimed softly. He had bitten the nape of my neck._

_His hazel eyes widened innocently as he looked up at me. "Sorry. I couldn't resist."_

_A little fire ignited inside of me._

_"Well, if you can't resist… then maybe I shouldn't either," I whispered, my voice playful and purring._

_Something in my words and tone made James straighten up immediately. "No objections here!" he exclaimed, his eyes bright with excitement._

_"Good." I reached for his hands, the hands that were making me melt in place._

_I closed my eyes, took one last deep breath, and opened them, taking in James: his dishevelled hair, his hazel eyes . . . all of him. _

_"I'm ready," I said in what I dearly hoped was a sultry tone. _

_His eyes widened as he knew what I was saying. "Are you sure?"  
_

_I kissed his eyebrows, his nose, then let my hands wander south. "Positive."_

_

* * *

_"Nooooo!"

Someone was screaming.

James's face. His hands, warm and solid, held in hers.

It was all was blurring in and out of focus, and everything was hazy.

Lily realized it was she who was screaming.

The Heads' Room had vanished and she was in the cold stone dungeon of Councillor Four again.

She woke up in a cold sweat. He was leaning over her, examining her. _I can't tell him, not about that memory!_

"No!" she screamed again, and before she could stop herself, she tried with all her strength to punch him on the nose.

Much to her shock, she was right on target, and socked him so hard he staggered back.

He reached a hand under his mask, and when he pulled it back out, his fingers were bloodstained.

"Bitch!" he snarled at her, as he pulled out his wand. For a second Lily was sure he was going to curse her.

Instead, when he flicked his wand, he enchanted the chains to imprison and immobilize her once more. He had made the mistake of forgetting to chain her hands and feet once she had returned from eating lunch at the table.

"Sorry, I'm just no good at being a damsel in distress," spat out Lily, wishing she could rub her bruising knuckles. "But then again, you never know… I could get the seven dwarfs and eat the poisoned apple."

"Poisoned apple? Don't tempt me!" he hissed as he pressed a cloth under his mask to his nose. "You're lucky that you're a valuable research creature. If not, I'd have disposed of you a long time ago."

"So that's all I am, an expensive guinea pig?" Lily could feel her face getting hot in anger.

"Not really expensive – there are more Mudbloods where you came from. I just enjoy using you."

Lily smiled. Well, you couldn't really call it a smile – more like she bared her teeth at him. "I knew that you had some affection for me… deep down."

"Not affection. I enjoy hearing your pain. Your moans. Your screams. It's perfect revenge for your insulting behaviour."

A chill washed through Lily as she realized that he was speaking the truth. _He enjoyes torture. He revels in the way my memories cause me suffocating pain._ "Somebody needs to get a life," she said, fighting to keep the tremor out of her voice.

Ignoring her yet again, he walked over to one of the cauldrons and began adulterating the contents.

Lost in her thoughts, Lily began pondering what had taken place when she had taken the potion. One second she was reliving a memory, and the next she wasn't… and the memory itself was brief… briefer than usual…

"You're building a resistance to the potion," he said loudly, answering her unasked question. "This isn't unusual, considering how many times you've taken it. What _is_ interesting is why the resistance appeared during this _particular_ memory."

"As to that, I have absolutely no idea," said Lily quietly.

_Oh Merlin, please let him not think too much about that memory.  
_

"Speak only when spoken to, Mudblood."

"Unless you were talking to your damn cauldrons, I can only assume you were talking to me, bastard."

The Potions Master breezed past her insult. "I am merely speaking out loud as to sort out my own thoughts."

"Indeed? And have you any?"

"I find it curious that most of your memories dwell on James Potter… and in none of them do you mention your fiancé."

"If I haven't dreamed of him, it means he isn't been in my darkest memories," Lily said loudly and defensively, and her intention of feigning disinterestedness evaporated. "I should think that would be a good thing."

"I must say, it sounds like you're trying to convince yourself." His voice was pure honey – sweetly sickening, and Lily could feel his smirk as he said this. He reached out for a thin glass vial.

"Oh, do me a favour and shut the hell up!" Lily yelled crossly, her eyes flashing a brilliant green in her anger. "You're a bloody pervert, that's why you're doing this - you must be getting off at listening to my schoolgirl memories!"

He emitted a throaty growl, and Lily could tell she had struck a nerve - although he tried to conceal it, she could tell he had crushed the vial in his hand at her words. _Hope it hurt, bastard_.

He retrieved another vial and filled it with some of the cauldron's contents. "Let me tell you what I am about to do to you." When the Councillor continued, his voice was so syrupy with satisfaction that it told her that her next round of the Treatment would be even more painful, and therefore, more enjoyable to him. "What I have done, you despicable little Mudblood, is add several drops of Veritaserum to the original potion. I expect the consequences shall be quite interesting. Veritaserum is mostly used to–"

"I know what Veritaserum does," snapped Lily, entirely unhappy with this recent turn of events.

_Oh shit… there is no way he should ever, ever find out about that memory… it was James' and mine. Ours only.  
_

"Then you know that it'll virtually erase any sort of resistance that you and your subconscious have devised."

He walked over to her bedside and handed her two more vials, keeping his nose as far away from her as possible so as not to present the same target. When she noticed this, Lily didn't bother to contain her laugh, but it was as cold and mirthless as Councillor Four himself.

She looked around wildly for something, _anything_, she could use to prevent him from giving her the potions.

There was nothing.

"Cheers." She accepted the vials, but before she could empty the contents onto the bed, or throw the vials to the floor (options she was considering), the door opened and a masked head popped inside.

"Lord Voldemort has called for a Summit Meeting in ten minutes."

The masked head disappeared, and the door closed again.

_Thank Merlin!_

"What is it with men and not knocking?" said Lily in mock-outrage. She had relaxed now that she knew that he would be busy for the next two or three hours, and her secret was safe. _For now._ "I mean, what if he had walked in and heard me spilling my deepest, darkest, girliest secrets!"

Councillor Four turned towards her, his masked face looking right at her. She knew that if she could only see his eyes from beyond the shadows his hood created over the mask, she'd receive a petrifying glare.

"Shut up Mudblood. I have an important meeting to attend." He checked his watch, and nodded. "Don't go anywhere." He flicked his wand at her, and the chains incarcerated her even more strictly than before. "I'll be back in one hour."

"I _won't_ be missing you… bastard."

The door slammed shut – or would have, had the hinges not been so rusty. It was actually more of a loud, door-versus-stone-floor scraping sound, with a slight bang at the end.

Sighing, Lily resigned herself to the fact that she was now alone, with nothing to do. So, she spent the next hour trying to figure out a way to escape.

It was entirely unproductive.

**

* * *

**

The wizard that James had recognized closed his eyes and stated his name in a shaky voice.

"Regulus Arctucus Black."

The younger Black brother had inherited the family's good looks, yet he was scowling in a particularly unattractive way at having recognized his sibling.

"Oh, shit," swore Sirius immediately. Facing his brother was not something he did often, nor was it something he enjoyed doing, yet even though he had not much affection for him, he still did not want his young brother - barely seventeen - to become a Death Eater.

James knew exactly what Sirius was thinking, but decided to wait till later to touch on the subject.

"Isn't this nice?" said Rosier, one of his eyebrows raised. "A set of actual blood-brothers is in our group."

"Oh, yes, nice, lovely, BLOODY PERFECT," shouted Sirius, glaring at his brother. "What could be better than my little brother playing grown up?" he spat out, eyeing his brother with avid contempt. Grey eyes met grey eyes, and the brothers were scowling at each other as if there was nothing that they would rather do than whip out their wands and duel.

James stepped on Sirius's foot, breaking the stare, and nodded to Rosier. "Yeah... they don't really get along."

"Shall we?" said Regulus, pointing at the door. He clearly did not want to be in this passageway with his brother for longer than absolutely necessary. James could see beads of sweat on his upper lip, and his forehead was glistening.

_He's nervous about Sirius being here._

"Right."

A heavy black book had appeared on a pedestal directly in their way of the door. It opened, pages flying by until it came to a blank one.

James walked up to it first, and he attempted to turn one page back, but it was as if the pages were made out of lead; it was impossible to turn it.

_The other wizard wasn't kidding about maintaining secrecy._

He signed his name with the provided quill, watching his name etched into the book in the permanent dragon blood ink.

Truthfully, he had never really wanted to come as _James Potter_, as himself. He had originally wanted Marlene to give Sirius and him some Polyjuice Potion, and they could have come as one of the wizards who were already part of the organization… or as new ones joining it. But Marlene, smart witch that she was, had pointed out that that would be more dangerous – the Death Eaters as they called themselves, probably had defensive measures to rival Gringott's.

So they had come as themselves, albeit reluctantly. They had come to the conclusion that once they got Lily out, she would give them plenty of evidence – enough evidence to destroy the group and eliminate the threat that they constituted.

He waited for the others to sign the book. Once they had all signed, James faced the door. _How does it work?_ As soon as had he had the thought, he felt a force stronger than him try to pull him into the depths within. He grabbed a mask from the shelf and hastily put it on at the last second. He then felt a sudden hook tug him forward from behind his navel, and knew that this door was not really a door… but some sort of Portkey.

He managed to keep on his feet as he landed, and moved quickly out of the way as Sirius, Rosier, and Black arrived right behind him, masked and hooded.

What they saw shocked them.

The room they were in reminded James of the headquarters of the Wizengamot – a large stone room, a small arena. But that's where the resemblance ended.

They were standing at the very back of the room. Rows and rows of seats were set as in an ancient amphitheatre, easily accommodating the fifty or so people already seated.

The tall wizard who had given them instructions earlier made his way to them now – he had clearly been waiting for them.

"This is a summit of the Brotherhood. Sit together, as close to the front as possible. There are four others who are also new; they were admitted yesterday and are already seated in the first row. Lord Voldemort won't be here for the meeting, but you are each going to have an opportunity to speak with him at your official initiation ceremony, tonight at midnight. Now, move quickly."

With that, he left them to find their seats.

James gestured to Sirius to follow him, and they headed down the stone steps until they reached the second row. They and the two others sat down there, with Sirius on James' left, who was flanked by Rosier on the right. Regulus Black took the seat to Rosier's right, succeeding in being as far from his brother as possible.

Once they had been seated, one of the wizards at the Four chairs stood up and walked to a podium placed in front of the High Seats. He looked short to James, and portly, although with the hoods and thick layers of robes, almost anyone could have looked overweight.

"Fellow conquerors of death and lovers of blood, I salute you! To those of you who have just been inducted into the Book of Brothers," he gestured at the front row, and then at where James was sitting, "I am Councillor Three. Tonight we gather here to acknowledge you. Know this: we expect great things from you. A word to the wise – do not disappoint us."

As fascinating as James found the speech, his attention wavered, and he promptly began retracing his, Sirius', and Marlene's steps over the past couple of months.

**..**

James and Sirius had gone over to Walden Macnair's home the day their planned future infiltration of the Death Eater's began; they had chosen Macnair's because of the tips that Remus had given them. Macnair had taken the bait, and had gotten them to the next level up, and through their well-reputed names, especially the Potter name (and gold), they had made it to where they were now. Another major advantage that they had was that they were both Aurors. Aurors being Dark-wizard catchers, it was in the Death Eaters' best interest to have as many of them on their side or payroll as possible.

Marlene was a different story. She was originally going to linger behind, to be their back-up in case anything went wrong, and also report any of their findings directly to Head Auror Barty Crouch.

Their plans had changed. During one of the activities prior to their admission to this meeting of the Death Eaters, an acquaintance had let it slip that there was a group performing experiments on Muggles and Muggle-borns, psychological experiments involving potions, and that they had had some interesting results with a certain female Mudblood. When Marlene heard this, she insisted on infiltrating the Death Eaters personally. James had had to agree – what with the shortage of Potions Masters in Britain, they all knew that she would be accepted immediately.

It had worked. Marlene was in the other blood-brother group, and they were anxious to meet up with her.

**..**

Sirius elbowed James sharply in the ribcage, and James was brought painfully back to reality… and the long boring speech that seemed to have no end in sight.

"For the past few years, our mission has been simply to grow and find others who share the same ideals. We shall conquer death, together! We believe in the purification of our blood, to rid the world of the likes of Mudbloods, half-bloods, and blood-traitors. Our success at the Welcoming Ball proved our power, and put it on display for the world to see. We are the iron fist, slamming down on the insignificant, destroying our opposition. We are the Death Eaters, and our mission is that – to devour death, to destroy it. We have never been defeated; we cannot be defeated, not now, not ever!"

The room erupted with deafening cheers and feet stamping on the stone in agreement.

James and Sirius clapped right along with the others, of course.

"Would it be overkill if I whooped and whistled?" hissed James sarcastically into his friend's ear.

The man bowed, and headed for a door behind the raised seats. The three other witches and wizards who had sat at the thrones at the front followed him out the room, and the rest of the room began standing and making for exits.

"They say they haven't been defeated?" hissed Sirius out of the corner of his mouth as he stood up.

"We'll just have to break their winning streak," was James' reply, his voice as low as Sirius's had been, determination and resolve sewn into each word.

One wizard came up to them. "The four of you shall have the rare honor of meeting the Dark Lord himself tonight! In the meantime, you shall wait until all is ready."

"Thanks," said James, bowing his head slightly.

"I have to take a piss," whined Sirius suddenly, discretely stepping on James's foot.

"Bathrooms are over there, through that door." The voice sounded slightly offended at Sirius's disrespectful tone.

"Come Prongs." Sirius gripped James's shoulder and dragged him off.

Once they were in the aforementioned bathroom, luckily empty, Sirius turned to James. "Okay… let me guess! First thing we do is find Lily. And Marlene, of course."

"Wrong," said James bluntly. "That would be stupid…I'm going to ask to meet with this Lord Voldemort alone. Then I'm going to make him an offer, one he can't refuse… which will succeed in getting Marlene closer to Lily."

"How will you do that?"

"I have a plan. It's a good plan. It's called improvisation."

"Sounds good." Even though James couldn't see Sirius's face because of the mask, he could just tell that his best friend was grinning - grinning at the thought of danger, damsels in distress, and outsmarting the bad guys._ I just hope he remembers what's at stake._

Sirius removed his mask and scooped up water from the sink. He splashed it on his hair and slicked it back. "Oh and James?" he called, examining himself in the mirror.

"Yeah?"

"We've got to get rid of Rosier. He seems quite dangerous."

James gave his friend an utterly disgusted look. "He's_ eighteen_. He's an intern at the _bank_. We're _Aurors_ – you know, Dark Wizard-Catchers?"

"He's dangerous!"

It dawned on James what was causing his friend to immediately dislike Rosier. He coughed heavily to stifle a laugh. "Padfoot, you just don't like him because you've heard that some witches think he's prettier than you."

"No, he's not! I am much prettier than he is!"

A look of horror crossed Sirius's face as he realized what James had tricked him into saying. "I mean I'm more handsome, in a manly, macho, Robert Redford kind of way!"

"No, you're just prettier." James ducked just in time to dodge Sirius's half-serious punch. "Now, put your mask back on and cover that gorgeous face."

As they were leaving the bathroom, another thought occurred to James. "Who the hell is Robert Redford!"

"He's considered the Sexiest Man Alive. Clearly the judges hadn't met me yet."

"I shudder to think how you would know that."

"_People_, the magazine, of course."

James really did shudder then.

"What?" Sirius retorted loudly, "there's nothing wrong with _People_. I read it when I was waiting at Lily's apartment!"

"Whatever you say, Padfoot."

"You – You aren't going to tell Remus about this are you?"

"Ten galleons and I won't."

"Deal!"

"Keep your gold - that's a promise I know can't keep!"

**

* * *

**

Lily had thought that reliving her worst memories was hell… but this level of boredom was even more depressing. Usually she was able to just sleep it out – the memories were emotionally draining and strangely physically exhausting.

But this mention of a Lord Voldemort… their leader.

_If I found out more about him, then maybe she could find a way of telling the outside world… even if I don't get out, the information would help others._

The door screeched open.

"You're late," shouted Lily. "It's been more than two hours!"

The wizard who was unmistakably Councillor Four was standing in the doorway. Lily could almost see the smoke coming out of his ears as he thundered his way across the room.

He took two of the cauldrons off the fire and banged them on a brick covered surface.

He slammed two more cauldrons on the fire.

"Bad day at the office?" commented Lily, observing Councillor Four's fascinating behaviour. It was such a pleasant change, seeing him furious at someone other than herself. "I think you're being quite ridiculous," she said, unwilling to to resist the urge to tease him.

She could almost feel Councillor Four's eyes pierce through her at the very posture hinted of underlying danger. "You said I'm being ridiculous. Explain."

Any other wizard would have retreated with his tail between his legs, apologizing profusely.

But not Lily.

"Yes, you're being ri-di-cu-lous," stated Lily, enunciating each syllable. "You're acting like a PMSing woman – banging the pots and pans together after the children misbehaved. Or was it the hubby this time, this _Lord Voldemort,_ who misbehaved? Did he come back with a mistress?"

In one quick movement, he had crossed the room, his hands and long thin fingers grasping her throat in a death grip.

"Go on, do it," Lily managed to cough out. "Make Lord Voldemort proud."

His hands tightened around her neck almost as if he was obeying her. "Do not speak his name!"

**

* * *

**

"Lord Voldemort!" exclaimed James, bowing slightly. "I am James Potter."

"I know who you are." The cold voice immediately made James think of Siberia – harsh, violently cold, full of prisons.

The all-powerful wizard was sitting on a throne – it could be described as nothing less. It was high, gilded, and intimidating to any wizard that came before it. He was dressed in robes of serpent green, a thick silver medallion decorated with ancient runes hung from his neck – but this was not his only ornament.

A great snake, probably about twelve feet long, brownish-grey in colour with a head shaped like a coffin, was coiled around the evil wizard's neck and shoulders.

James uneasily recognized it as a black mamba, the deadliest snake on the planet.

But James had a purpose here, and he knew that he couldn't let himself be intimidated, by the throne or by the snake. He had to act arrogant and just as important as this Lord , more importantly, focus his mind on that story only. To sell it, he had to believe it himself.

"It is an honour to meet you," continued James, ignoring the snake.

"Is it." His chilled voice indicated that the feeling was not reciprocated. His face was unmasked, but his hood was up, and his face was completely hidden in its shadows.

James, unaffected, continued. "I have always taken an interest in investing in new ventures that ally with my personal philosophy. My _extensive wealth_ is a testimony to my business talents. I see an opportunity to create a company to conduct experiments on Muggles and Muggle-borns. The results we can later apply to our cause. Let me personally examine the facilities," he said, "If I find them up-to-scratch and well-staffed with sufficient, qualified Potions Masters, I shall consider making the investment. Even if I decide not to invest, I'll of course remain dedicated to our noble cause; this is merely something for me to sink my teeth into."

There was a prolonged silence for a couple of minutes while the Dark Lord weighed his options. James was merely praying that the wizard wouldn't throw the snake at him – he knew that it was entirely possible.

"You may visit the facilities," said Voldemort finally.

"Good." James nodded his head, but then made his voice sound concerned. "I really do hope I find it in keen conditions, however, in order to maintain the possibility of investment."

"You're a Death Eater. In service to me!"

"And I shall serve you with honour, my lord."

"Someone will take you to the dungeons to see the experiments. You may withdraw."

Without thinking twice about it, but concentrating a lot on the snake, James turned to leave. "Thank you, Lord Voldemort.:

"Do not speak my name! You'll learn to fear it soon enough."

**

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**

"Voldemort," she repeated in a raspy voice, ignoring the pain surging through her as Councillor Four added pressure around her neck.

Suddenly, he placed his right index finger and thumb on each side of her windpipe. His fingers jabbed deep, and blinding pain crossed her throat.

"Give me a reason to and I'll snap your trachea between my fingers, Mudblood."

Lily couldn't speak, but instead she fixed her gaze onto him. She could see his dark black eyes now, so close was he to her. Her gaze turned to a cold, defiant glare, and even when her eyes watered from the pain, she refused to look away.

She looked into his eyes trying to find the trace of an emotion.

Just then, a low knocking on the door startled them both, and he abruptly released her.

A coughing fit overcame Lily as she felt the pressure cease. She wanted to reach a hand up to massage her throat, but no sooner had she tried to move it than a chain dug into her wrist, preventing her from doing so. She writhed around the bed for a few seconds, waiting for the coughs to abate.

Once her eyes stopped tearing up and the violent coughing had ceased, she glanced around the room wildly to see Councillor Four.

"I don't give a damn what they told you, I don't need you here," he was saying, his voice loud and indignant.

The source of his anger and annoyance was apparent. A witch dressed in dark red robes, her face hidden by a mask, was standing in front of him, her hands on her hips. Her very presence had an open air of defiance.

"I have my orders sir, I am to observe your activities, and assist you in any way possible," the witch was saying.

"You can _assist_ me by removing yourself from this room before _I _remove you personally."

"I'd like to see you try." The witch crossed her arms across her chest stubbornly.

"Ah, a witch after my own heart," a hoarse Lily said as loudly as her sore throat allowed. "I'm glad to see feminism has entered the Dark wizarding world."

They both turned to see her immediately, an aura of fury around the Councillor.

"This is the Evans Mudblood?" asked the witch, her voice calm and steady.

"Yes, it is," Councillor Four answered shortly, "now leave."

"I have my orders. There appears to be a wizard who wants to give us the gold we need for these experiments, and so they sent me to make this place look even better. He's going to come later tonight."

"I don't need any bloody help, least of all from a bloody witch!"

Lily swallowed hard and raised her voice again. "Always the mysogynist… I'll bet she could beat your sorry arse at potion-making."

"_Silencio!_" cried the Councillor, pointing his wand at Lily.

Unable to speak, Lily decided to at least observe this new addition to the staff, as she would probably become a semi-permanent character in her daily hell.

"You want to stay and work for me? Fine," snapped the Potions Master. "Make a batch of the Draught of Living Death."

Lily doubted that he really needed that potion. Not only was it expensive to make, but she couldn't see how it would be useful to him, not when the Cruciatus Curse was an more effective torture tool. No, instead, she knew he was doing it just to annoy the new witch – the potion called for especially nasty and hard-to-handle-without-vomiting ingredients.

Huffing, the witch headed over to a cabinet and began by taking a pair of muskrats off the hooks on the inside doors. She laid them out on the table and unceremoniously chopped off their heads and began to skin them. Blood splattered onto the witch's sleeves, but she appeared not to care.

Councillor Four noticed the look of disgust on Lily's face and laughed humourlessly. He wiped his hands on a towel.

"Evans, your next session is going to be in three hours, due to our distinguished guests. I suggest you sleep," he said as he slowly stirred one of the cauldrons.

"Aw, Number Four, I didn't know you cared… I think I'm all a 'twitter," said Lily out of pure reflex, completely forgetting that she had been Silenced. Now that she remembered, she realized that he must have muttered the counter-curse.

He continued speaking as if she hadn't interrupted him. "May I remind you again that since I have to force past your resistance, it'll be more painful for you than the other memories."

Lily's face turned stormy. "Yes, since it's an absolute _picnic_ to remember the day my parents died."

"Quit moaning about your pathetic Mudblood parents and get some bloody rest, you silly girl, or I'll give you a Sleeping Draught before you can say _'I want my mummy!'_"

Rage made Lily's pulse race as adrenaline surged through her. She tried to yell out her anger, but the curses and insults were stifled by another fit of coughing, and she soon realized that she would have to just relax, and add that cheap quip about her parents to the list of things she would make him pay for one day.

The Councillor realized that there was no way she was going to fall asleep, and so forced a sedative down her throat.

* * *

After his brief meeting with the Dark Lord, James had met up with Sirius in the room that had been set aside for the new recruits to wait in.

Sirius leaned closer to James, whispering in his ear. "Something's up, and whatever it is, it's big. All the Death Eaters that have come in and out of this room have been agitated about something. What's more, they're also excited."

James raised his right eyebrow in surprise – not that anyone could see it with his mask on. "Do you have any idea what it is?"

Sirius shook his head. "No, but I can smell their adrenaline."

Right then, the door opened, and a member of the Council stepped inside.

"I have an announcement."

All the other wizards stopped talking immediately.

"Your ceremony of admittance into the Brotherhood of Death Eaters has been postponed. It will be tomorrow night. You may go to your own homes tonight. Make any necessary arrangements so that you can be here tomorrow at eleven sharp. Do not be early, do not be late, or the silver door will not open for you. As for your departure tonight, someone will come for you shortly and return you to the outside."

With that, he nodded at a group of about a dozen Death Eaters in the center of the room, and they followed him out.

James turned to Sirius. "You were right; something major's happening."

"Told you," whispered Sirius back, "A lot of them will be busy. This could be our chance."

A small masked figure entered the room.

"Who are the wizards interested in investing in the laboratory?" the witch called out, addressing the wizards in the room.

James and Sirius stood up.

"Follow me," she said shortly, and walked out of the room.

They rounded a couple of corners and then she unlocked a door. The men had to stoop to enter – the doorway was incredibly low.

The room was a broom closet.

"_Lumos!_" she whispered, and light was cast upon them all. She pushed off her hood, and slid her mask back.

The others followed suit.

"Right, before you say anything," Marlene started, cutting off James as he opened his mouth, "you owe me. Big time."

James smiled slightly. "I know. Both you and Sirius. I know this mission was crazy, but really, thanks for joi–"

Marlene interrupted him again. "Look, you don't know the half of it."

She took a deep breath and reached for her right sleeve, pushing it up past her elbow.

And there it was.

"They give you a special tattoo with membership." Marlene tried to make her voice nonchalant, but James could see that she was shaken up.

A skull with a snake slithering out of the mouth glared out at them from her right forearm, its black lines contrasting loudly with her pale skin.

Sirius reached out a finger to touch it, but Marlene quickly covered it up again. "It still stings," she whispered, her voice not bitter, not self-pitying, just explanatory.

James was struck by the meaning of that brand. "Oh god, Marlene, I'm so sorry. We had no idea."

"Yes well… as a Potions Master, they were anxious to admit me."

Sirius was looking at her with a stunned expression in his face; James could see that his best friend was admiring the brave way she was dealing with the situation. He picked up her hand and kissed it; she didn't resist.

"We'll find a way to get it off," Sirius promised her.

A brief smile crossed her face, but then her expression changed. "Well, I didn't show it to you to get pity. There's a good side to this ugly thing. I've been relocated to a new part of this rotting castle – the laboratories."

James looked at her sharply, his eyes intent and narrowed.

"I saw her James. I saw Lily."

_'I saw her James. I saw Lily.'_ The words echoed in James's head again and again as he digested their meaning.

Sirius, seeing his friend's speechlessness, asked Marlene the important question that he knew was first and foremost on his friend's mind, but one that James was too afraid to ask. "Is she okay?"

Marlene gave him a crooked smile. "Alive and kicking. Still got her rapier wit – the wizard in charge of her, the resident Potions Master, is just about fed up with it, actually; she knows exactly which comments get on his nerves."

_Lily's fighting him. Good girl! _

James heart was ready to burst with pride – and anger towards the Potions Master.

Marlene continued with her descriptions. "He keeps her tied up and bound most of the time. She's fed once or twice a day, so she may be a little weaker and a little paler than normal, but she's doing great considering the circumstances. The other Muggle-borns lost their minds within the first couple of treatments, and so had to be discarded. Luckily, she's stronger."

"How tight is security there?" asked Sirius – James' face had contorted with fury when he had heard the bit about the other Muggle-borns.

_What if that had happened to Lily?_

"Not very hard to get through at this point. It's just the two of us. The Potions Master, Councillor Four, won't let anyone else get near her, and he only leaves to go to Summit meetings and to sleep – but his room is right next to where he keeps her."

"And once we get her out of there, how is the rest of the way out?"

Marlene's eyes glittered mischievously. "Normally, it would be nearly impossible to get out without being seen… but tonight, as you may have heard, most of the Death Eaters are going out on a raid. Before you ask me, I have no idea as to where exactly they're going, but they should be leaving in exactly ten minutes."

James finally spoke, his voice thick with emotion."So we're getting Lily out tonight?"

"Yes, James. Tonight."

**

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...

**A/N:** Hope you guys liked the chapter, please R/R!

Here are my replies to each one of the wonderful reviews you guys sent me for Chapter Nine!

**AnNiE**** bAnAnie: t**hanks for the review, I'm sorry some of it made you cry… but the drama was necessary! Let me know what you thought of this one.

**Penny: **sorry it took me a while to update, what with me going off to college in three days, I've been kind of busy… thanks for your review, hope you like this one!

**Aieka****:** "One of the most mature and nicely written fics I've ever read," is what you said in your review… aw shucks, I'm speechless, and blushing like mad! I hope you enjoy this one as much as the other one. You also said: "I hope you update (and finish?) soon." As to that, there's still a lot left to go in my story… I can tell you now that Lily's imprisonment is brief, and she'll be out and about… so expect much more controversy and angst and exterior conflict to happen! This story is not ending anytime soon!

**JamesGurl19:** I'm very pleased that you thought that was my best chapter, it was also one of my favourites!

**Lena-Jade: **Sorry to disappoint you with my last chapter… according to your review, you thought that Lily was OOC… I disagree, I believe that anyone could momentarily fall apart when they find out about a loved one's death… but I'll agree to disagree ; -) You're right, I did misspell 'mum' (I wrote 'mom'), but that was merely a typo, one that has been corrected. Oh, and about Marlene… GO FEMINISTS!

**Holly-Evans: **well, here you go girl, I updated, I hope you liked it! Review and tell me what you thought of it!

**Katherine:** well, James didn't save Lily in this chapter… but I'll let you in on a secret… Councillor Four is really - ah, you almost got it out of me that time! Hehehe, thanks for saying my story rocks, it is reviewers like you that motivate me to update faster!

**Spikora****: **Thanks for the correction on the knitting/crocheting bit… I can play Beethoven on the piano, but when it comes to handiwork, I'm all thumbs, and therefore clueless on the differences… I've corrected the mistake, thanks again!

**Jommoov****:** Yup, Ch 9 was History of James and Lily 101… there'll be more background info in later chapters, I just love writing about Hogwarts!

**Littlx1: **your review was short but oh-so-sweet! I had to pinch myself when I read "it's really one of the best I've read." :D

**Greenleafchic127:** Oh no, I did it to you AGAIN… another cliffie… please forgive me for that, but it just had to happen!

**Dimpi****:** I updated quickly between Ch 8 and Ch 9, but it took me a while on this one, I know… sorry about that, it couldn't be helped! "Gloomy, sad, depressing," is how you described Ch 9, that's great because that's exactly what I was going for! Thanks for the review!

**Man eating plant: **hahaha I love your nickname! Glad you liked my chapter, please let me know what you thought of this one!

**Erywen****: **Wow. Seriously wow. Your review was really inspiring to me as a fanfic author. You said that you felt like you were there. I hope I was able to convey the same feeling to you in this chapter. Thanks for your wonderful review – I agree, I also liked James and Remus talking in the Leaky Cauldron.

**Andromeda Tonks: **To answer your question "what happened to Lily's fiancée?" well, as you read in this chapter, she's beginning to wonder the same thing! We'll all just have to wait and see what happens… R/R!

**Tomecia****: **"genius with words" you said… I nearly fell out of my computer chair when I read that! Don't worry, I won't let it get to my head : -) Thanks for your flattering review! About Edouard and Lily… well, their story is semi-complicated, most of it will be known soon… Edouard is _very_ much alive, however.

**Lolua****: **The Remus bit of my last chapter was in indeed just for you! AND I must give credit where credit is due – thank you for the great idea you gave me – about including Regulus Black in this story. It added just the edge that just chapter wanted!

**The girl at the rock show:** I'm glad you liked it! seriously, thanks for the compliment!

**Lily Natalia Evans: **I'm glad that my last chapter gave you some ideas, let me know when you upload it so that I can check it out!

**Marauders Magelet: **I think all of us are interested in what'll happen when James finds out about Edouard… hey; I'M interested in finding out what happens! I'm glad you liked it, I hope this lives up to Ch 9!

**Canadian Blueberries: **The rescue is clearly well underway… but I promise a few surprises before she's out... winks We'll just have to wait and see what happens, but there is more to this story to come after her imprisonment… a lot of plot left to unravel, in fact.

**CrazyWomanLovesYou****: **Awwwww thanks for the nice words! I know, a lot of angst in Ch 9, a bit more here, and you can expect more of it – a lot more of it – before the story is over.

**P3charmed: **My dear beta reader, thank you soooooo much for helping me out! You were a wonderful help!

**CherryChalk****: **awwww, you teared up? That's sweet, thanks for the lovely review, please R/R!

THANKS, ALL OF YOU, PLEASE R/R!


	11. Come Together

**A/N: **Major thanks to all of you who reviewed for this story! I'm sorry that it took so long to upload, but such is college life. Please r/r, let me know what you thought of this chapter. I know it's short, but I just wanted to do a couple of things in order to get back to my main plot, the Lily/James story. This story is not yet even close to being over! Major thanks to my wonderful beta, **p3charmed**!

**

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**THE BEWITCHMENT OF JAMES POTTER**

**Chapter Eleven – Come Together**

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**

_"Oh, Lily! Please stay here, with me," he says, his arms wrapping around my trembling figure._

_I bury my face in his chest, my forehead resting in the way it had many times during the years. As I inhale his familiar scent, I think of the many times when I had been held here, the one place where, during the rare occasion that I felt vulnerable, could be safe and protected from everything in the outside world. Tears spring from my eyes. "I can't, I can't" I repeat, mumbling into the robes._

_"You can!" says James, his face contorted with emotion._

_"How can I?" I whisper miserably. "There's nothing for me here."_

_James moves me away from the hug and holds me at arm's length. He traces my cheek with his index finger tenderly._

_"Marry me," he whispers barely above the sound of the wind._

_"What?" I say, my eyes widening._

_James blushes, the boyish blush that was cute and so James at the same time. "I know we're ridiculously young. I realize we have no idea what the future may hold. But I know how I feel about you, and if you feel the same way... Lily, please, think about how amazing it could be. Will you marry me?"_

_James, James, JAMES! Say YES! my heart screams. But I listen to my brain, not my heart. I hang my head. "James, you don't want to marry me..." I say, dropping my eyes._

_"Don't I?" James says, his eyes scorching mine. "I have wanted to ever since I realized..."_

_"Realized what, James?" I ask unhappily.  
_

_James straightens up. He puts one arm around my waist and draws me near to him. He takes my chin with the tips of his finger of the other hand. "Lily, I love you, I'm in love with you. Don't you know that?" He draws a deep breath. "I've loved you for so long. Merlin help me, I won't be able to stand it if you leave," he says, his voice cracking at the end. "I didn't want to love you, Merlin knows that I even tried not to, okay? But now, the only thing I care about is you and being with you." James takes another deep breath. "I want to marry you, Lily, and quite frankly, I've been considering the idea the past couple of months."_

_I stand frozen to the ground. It seems like all my dreams could come true...  
_

_I am mesmerized and totally petrified – both at the same time. _

_I break away from his embrace. "James, I... I can't marry you."_

_James pulls back. I feel my soul wrench and I see his hurt eyes fill with tears. He shivers and hunches over. He breathes in slowly. "Why not?" he whispers, his voice barely audible._

_"Goodbye James." I whisper sadly but firmly, my voice as final and hollow as a gavel falling._

_As I turn away, I am crying._

_

* * *

_

Marlene slowly opened the door to the laboratory. She, James, and Sirius had donned their masks and hoods again before leaving the broom closet.

As the door creaked open, Marlene went in first – she had reminded James that it was most important that he keep his head throughout this mission. She poked her head in and looked around inside and whispered back. "All clear."

She stepped inside completely so that the other two could follow her.

James hurried in. Looking around quickly, taking in his surroundings, he spotted the bed.

The bed where a single person was covered by a white sheet, only dark red hair and a pale face poked out above the sheep; she was fast asleep.

As soon as he saw her, James purposely forgot everything Marlene had told him and did everything she told him _not _to do.

"He sedated her," Marlene whispered, "He sedated her before he left."

James ran across the room and crawled into the bed, pulling the limp body into his arms.

"Oh Merlin!" His relief was such that he reacted in a way he had never, ever, predicted would be the way he would react when he first saw her. Warm tears spilled out of his eyes, dripping down the interior of the mask.

Her pale pink lips were chapped and broken, her cheeks were flushed as if with fever. James wished harder than he had ever wished for anything ever in his life that she would open her eyes and he could see those beautiful emeralds, the ones that had branded his soul so long ago. He yearned to see them flicker, to see them blaze, to see them dance, flash, spark - even glower at him! He hungered to see her merely look at him so that he could feast his eyes on hers.

James ran his fingers lightly on her face, tracing her closed eyelids, her cold cheekbones. He didn't know how he could have survived for so long without touching her.

Suddenly, touching wasn't enough.

He pushed off his hood, and yanked his mask off, throwing it into a corner. His lips free, he kissed her cheek softly and reverently, and then wrapped his arms around her as if he was afraid she would evaporate. From the moment he saw her, and from the moment he touched her, he knew he never wanted to stop holding her.

_ Ever._

"James!" hissed Marlene as she rushed over to the bed. "Control yourself! Right now we need to get her out."

Lily's eyebrows furrowed and stirred in her sleep, her voice mumbling in her sleep.

James pulled her closer to listen.

"What's she saying?" asked Sirius, walking over to the bedside.

Lily stirred again, and whispered audibly enough for all three of them to hear her. "Goodbye… James."

Her words had the same effect as slapping a panicky person on the cheek – he sobered up and became the intelligent, in-control wizard that he made him an excellent Auror.

James pointed his wand at the corner. "_Accio Mask!_" and the Death Eater mask soared into his hands, and he quickly put it back on.

He slowly got out of the bed, and reluctantly released Lily from his arms, setting her carefully back inside the sheets. _I'll have plenty of time to hold her later, _he promised himself. It was the only thing that allowed his hands to let go of her even for a second.

However, he had moved away from her just in the nick of time.

Just when he was about to ask Marlene what they should do next, they all heard the same sound.

It was sound that made them stiffen and their hearts pound.

The lock had clicked, and the door to the room began to open noisily, scraping across the stone floor.

A tall wizard stepped into the room. Noticing James and Sirius in the room, he closed the door and locked it.

"What is all this?" he asked sneeringly, directing his question towards Marlene.

"The investors, sir. They've come to inspect the facilities."

"Why did you not come for me immediately?" Brushing her answer aside, he walked up to James and Sirius. "I am Councillor Four, and I am the one in charge of this branch of our Brotherhood." He extended a long pale hand.

James glared at the hand, refusing to shake it. His own hands were curling into fists, concealed in the folds of his robes.

Sirius, having noticed the rigidity of James' posture, took the wizard's hand. "So tell us about your experiments on this particular Mudblood."

The Councillor nodded slightly. He walked over to the bedside table. "The first thing I can tell you is that she has been kept under sedation, and unless I administer a second round, the Mudblood will soon awaken, which is something that is never pleasant."

James walked over to her bedside and observed the frail form lying there. _Thank Merlin I have a mask on, _James thought as he felt his face screwing up in anger. It was all he could do to restrain himself from taking her back into his arms there and then. "D'you always keep her under sedation?" he said, his voice was sharper that he had intended it to be.

The Potions Master shook his head slightly. "No. However, she had a rather violent episode earlier today, and had to be treated with more than normal cautions."

Sirius scoffed, his voice haughty as he spoke. "A Mudblood can't possibly be too hard to manage."

The Councillor stared at him fixedly. "She's not. But make no mistake of it, this one is highly intelligent, and is almost as magically powerful as many purebloods."

James, tearing his eyes off Lily's pale face, turned to the Councillor. "That I can never believe," he declared in a voice that was just as haughty, if not more conceited, than Sirius's.

The Potions Master glanced between the both of them. "Clearly both of you have had _extended_ experience with the study of Muggle psychology." Sarcasm dripped from his voice as he spoke.

"Can't say we have," said Sirius, his voice drawling.

"We just know that we're superior to them. Must we remind you of that fact?" James couldn't seem to keep the icy edge out of his voice. It must have been the sight of Lily lying unconscious on the bed that made him instantly and inexplicably hate this Dark wizard in front of him.

Sirius abruptly stepped on James' foot.

James, ignoring the warning, kept going. "When I looked into the possibility of investing in your little experiments, I expected to find a wizard who would be competent in his capabilities as a pureblood and confident in his knowledge of his own superiority over Mudbloods. Instead, you seem to be willing to admit that this Mudblood is smarter than you."

"I have said nothing of the sort!" hissed Councillor Four, and with that, he turned his back to them and began preparing a solution by mixing two potions on the bedside table. "Witch, answer the rest of their questions, I need to concentrate on this potion."

A few minutes went by in which Sirius had to think of question after question to ask Marlene - James was no help, as he was too busy shooting loathing looks at the Councillor's back.

James was actually taking mental notes on everything about the Councillor. There was something strange in the way he was preparing the potion: he wasn't focusing on it at all, as his hands kept bumping into vials. James then realized that the Councillor had lied – he was concentrating more on Sirius and Marlene's conversation_._

_But why?_

James interrupted Marlene right in the middle of her answer to a question. "Look, we didn't come all the way down here to this reeking and filthy room to listen to a bloody assistant talk about something she obviously doesn't know much about. Councillor Four, tell us about your methods yourself."

Without turning around, nor expressing any sign of annoyance, the Councillor began speaking. "Earlier this evening I tried to analyze one of the Mudblood's memories, but she appears to have created some sort of defence around it, as if it's something that she not only wants to forget, but doesn't want any other living soul to know either. It actually pains her whenever I try to delve into this particular memory. Strangely enough, this one appears to be about an old boyfriend of hers, a wizard named James Potter."

James had to force himself to breathe.

_What is this Councillor playing at by saying my name? Is he telling the truth, that Lily's memory involves me? Or is he saying it to let me know that he knows that it's me, James Potter, under the cloak? But, let's say he's saying the truth, that her memory involves me, then why is she trying so hard not to remember_?

The Councillor continued speaking. "I shall awaken her, but first, I want the three of you to leave the room momentarily."

"Wait there a minute, Councillor, you can't just exclude us–" began Sirius, but he was immediately interrupted.

"There is no intended exclusion. I simply don't permit anyone to be present when I awaken a patient, as it is in need of my full attention, which I can't dedicate to your questions. Use the time to observe the storage facilities, which should not be overlooked if you hope to make an intelligent investment."

James had half a mind to knock the Councillor out right then and take Lily, but he caught himself just in time. This would be the perfect opportunity for Marlene, Sirius, and he to coordinate their escape plan.

"Fine. We shall see these storage rooms. But you had better not be holding out on us, Councillor," said James, with a warning tone in his voice. He nodded at Sirius, who followed him as he exited the room.

Once Marlene, Sirius, and he were out of Lily's dungeon room, Marlene rushed them into a spare room straight across from them.

Sirius turned to James, and placed an arm on his shoulder concernedly. "Prongs?"

James shrugged him off, and his manner became brisk and businesslike. "Marlene, what's the fastest and easiest escape route?"

"There is no easy route. But we do have the advantage that most of the Death Eaters are out of Headquarters, and on a mission."

"I feel kind of sorry for the poor blokes who are the targets of that mission," said Sirius in a low voice.

"Let's concentrate on rescuing Lily for the time being," said James sharply. "Marlene? Do you know a way out we can all use?"

She nodded. "Yes, but it's rather complicated. First, walk to the end of this corridor, then take a right. Follow that and then..."

**

* * *

**

Lily yawned and stretched like a cat.

Much as she had hated having the sedative shoved down her throat, sleep had been exactly what she needed.

She yawned again and opened her eyes, blinking in the dim light.

_I may even forget to be horrible to the Councillor. _

She rolled over and saw him fiddling with some jars at her bedside table.

_Nah._

"Ah, Councillor Four, it's you. I thought I caught a whiff of the foul odour that seems to linger around unsavoury characters such as yourself."

Instead of ignoring her, as he usually tried to do at first, he quickly rushed right up to her.

"Be quiet and listen–"

There was something in his manner that caught her attention immediately, but Lily didn't much care what it was. She rolled her eyes exaggeratedly, and looked at him. "What if I don't want to? What if I want to be the most annoying, aggravating person right now?"

"Consider that goal accomplished."

"Well, what if I wanted to be even more so?"

In a flash, he had reached out and gripped her face with one hand and pulled her to him until she was inches from his face. She stared up in to the dark holes that were his eyes, eyes so dark that didn't even reflect the torch lights.

"There are plans afoot that you know nothing about!"

Lily didn't miss a beat. "Then enlighten me."

With a loud hiss, he released her face, flinging her back against the bed. He turned his attention back to the bottles and vials on the bedside table. "There are two men here, two new members of the Brotherhood of Death Eaters. Investors, they call themselves, entrepreneurs."

"Investors to what?"

"My experiments on you."

Her eyes flashed livid colour. "Bastards, how dare they–"

"Only they aren't really investors," he snapped, "And they aren't interested in making you suffer."

Lily was supremely confused. "Then what do they want?"

"What do you _think_?" He placed a hand on the top of her head, and Lily suppressed the urge to fling it off. "They want to rescue you."

He drew his arm back, and stood up, and resumed his potion-making at the table.

A million thoughts were spinning inside Lily's head. "How do you know all this?" she blurted out.

A shrill tinkling of glass told Lily he had just broken something. Taking out a handkerchief, the Potions Master wrapped it around his wrist to stop the blood flowing from the fresh cut. _That's what, the third time I've directly or indirectly made him bleed today? _Lily smirked with satisfaction.

Turning back to her, he continued. "I recognized them immediately."

Dread began to spread inside of Lily. "And you're going to report them?"

"No. I'm letting you go with them."

"What?" she gasped, and then became suspicious. "Why?"

He laughed mirthlessly. "The truth is complicated, and I care not to explain it to you."

"Who is the rescuer you recognized?" she demanded, regaining her nerve.

His fingers tightened around the neck of a bottle, and then relaxed. "I might as well tell you now; it makes no difference. It's your old boyfriend. The one who took your virginity. James Potter."

Lily stared at him, her eyes wide.

"That's right. I figured out your dirty little secret. And yes, James Potter is here to rescue you."

_I can't breathe. _

_The Councillor knows, dear Merlin, he knows! _

"So. You and James Potter."

Lily cringed immediately and writhed on the bed slightly.

Noticing this, he snickered as he poured the contents of two or three small bottles into a large glass jar. He began revolving them around with a long spoon, then took a vial out from the folds of his robes. Taking out the stopper, he shook a few drops into the mixture.

"Is it really as painful for a woman on her first time as they make it out to be?" He glanced over at her as he said this.

Lily's face was almost beyond description. But even with everything, she looked dignified as she sat up as far as she could, and looked at the Councillor straight in the eye as she spoke. "Not as painful as it will be for you when I get my wand back. I swear to you, I'll shove it straight up your arse."

His hissed angrily, and raised a hand to strike her.

Lily turned her face so that her cheek would be fully exposed, presenting him a target.

Noticing this, the Councillor immediately lowered his hand from its threatening position. Instead, he reached out and grabbed her by the messy thick braid at the base of her neck. Pulling Lily to him, he brought her so close that she could feel the outline of his nose on her temple. "Listen and listen closely," he hissed into her ear, his breath hot on her skin. "I'm letting you live; I'm letting you go with them. But as for your old lover – as for James Potter..."

Chills went up and down Lily's spine as he spoke.

"Mark my words. He won't live past the third day of your freedom."

And with that, he flung her back on to the bed like a rag doll.

Lily screamed and tried to grab him, scratch him, bite him, punch him, anything, but he had moved away, and she was still chained and shackled.

She felt a sob catch in her throat.

"Oh, and Evans?"

She turned to him, her eyes flashing. "What?"

"I can't have you telling Potter what I just said. Will you drink this sedative like a good little witch?"

Her glare intensified as she watched him with extreme hate.

"Alas, I didn't think so."

Councillor Four swooped down on her.

There was nothing she could do to prevent it, although, for being chained and bound, she put up a decent fight.

The Potions Master finally grabbed her by the braid and pulled her head back. He forced the liquid into her mouth, and then clamped his hands over her face roughly, shaking her head to make her to swallow.

**

* * *

**

By the time Marlene was finished with the set of long and complicated instructions, many minutes had gone by.

"Why are you telling us all these details?" asked Sirius, his voice rising in alarm as a suspicion began to form in his mind. "You're coming with us – you can guide us?"

She drew in a deep breath. "I'm not going with you. I'm staying here to continue spying on the Death Eaters."

Her announcement drew a sharp breath from Sirius.

"But we'll already have rescued Lily-"

"Sirius, this is about more than just Lily now. There's something else I didn't tell you. I'm part of the Order now."

"The Order?" asked Sirius quizzically.

James clapped a hand to his forehead.

_How the hell did I forget to tell Sirius about the Order? In two months, I couldn't find a minute to say something like, 'oh hey, Padfoot, mate, Dumbledore has formed a secret organization to fight the Dark wizards. It's called the Order of the Phoenix, and they don't want you in it because they think your younger brother is a Death Eater. Which, actually, he's about to be.' _

"I'll explain it to you later," said James hurriedly, "we really need to get back, who knows what that arsewipe is doing to her now."

"No, we're not done with this," protested Sirius. "Marlene, there is no way we can leave you behind."

"You're going to have to, because I'm not going with you. Just remember to Stun me when you attack the Councillor, and I'll be fine – it'll be the perfect cover, as if you ambushed the both of us."

Sirius opened his mouth to continue arguing, but James cut him off. "Look, we've been gone far too long. Let's go back, Stun the Councillor, and get Lily out. Now."

They walked back into the dungeon room, Marlene leading them inside.

The Councillor turned to them as they entered. He was leaning over Lily, his hand on her wrist as he checked her pulse. "Regrettably, the Mudblood had to be sedated again; she was rather vicious when she woke up. I had to treat her accordingly."

"I'll treat you accordingly!" cried James, whipping out his wand and brandishing it threateningly at the Councillor. "Get your fucking hands off her!"

Sirius, who'd also pulled out his wand, aimed it at Marlene, to keep up appearances. "Both hands in sight, witch!"

Marlene hissed and yelled, "You fool! You'll pay for this treachery!"

The Councillor turned to James. "Potter, you really are a fool, you know that?"

James jabbed his wand forward slightly. "How do you know my name?" he demanded, holding his wand up.

"Does it matter? If you want the Evans Mudblood, then take her, take the wench!"

James turned to Sirius questioningly, but out of the corner of his eye, he saw a flash of movement. Cursing his foolishness, he raised his wand to Stun Councillor Four, but he was too quick. As if in slow motion, James saw the Councillor pulling something out of his robes. James didn't hesitate, and his Stunning spell hit the Councillor straight in the chest.

As the Councillor was fell to the floor, James felt a sharp, deep prick in his stomach. It wasn't till he was sure that the Councillor was out cold that James reach out to pull out the weapon that had pierced his abdomen.

"A dart?" Sirius rushed over to James and pulled it out of his hand.

It was indeed a dart, one with a long needle-like at the tip.

Sirius went pale. "Oh, _shit_."

Marlene rushed forward and pried it out of Sirius's hand. "Let me have a look at that." She turned it over a couple of times, and then held it up to a torch to see it in the light. Shaking her head, she reached for a cabinet and pulled out a small, empty vial. She placed the tip of the dart inside, and flicked the other end of it with her index finger. A couple of honey coloured drops dripped out of the dart and into the vial. Capping it, she placed the vial inside her pocket.

"How do you feel?" she said, looking right at James.

"I feel fine," catching a glance from Sirius, James added, "really."

She reached out to his robes. "Let me see."

He undid his robes down to his belly, and there it was. The entrance wound. All there was to see was a small stream of blood originating where the dart had pierced his skin.

Marlene nodded, and James fixed his robes again. "Well, I can't think of anything it might be. I'll run some tests on this, but other than that, there's not much I can do without knowing what it is. Knowing the Councillor, it won't be anything simple that a bezoar can handle." She turned to Sirius, her eyes worried. "So I don't know what may happen."

"I'm fine," insisted James, "and even if I'm not, we have to get her out."

The three of them turned to the unconscious figure lying on the bed.

"Okay, Stun me and get the hell out of here," ordered Marlene, walking back to where she had been when the Councillor was knocked out.

"Want to do the honours?" James asked Sirius.

Sirius pulled a face that couldn't be seen through his mask. "Not at _all_."

"Didn't think you would. Marlene, my apologies."

"Just get on with it!"

James looked at Sirius once more. Sirius was shaking his head, muttering slightly, his hands crossed across his chest disapprovingly. He took a deep breath and aimed his wand. "_Stupefy!_"

Sirius ran over to Marlene, and caught her as she fell, laying her softly on the floor.

"Want to get her a pillow and blanket too, Padfoot?" mocked James as he made his way over to Lily.

Sirius rolled his eyes, and followed his friend. "Trust me, it's hard to watch the way you handle Lily without gagging."

"Shut up." James's arms slid under Lily and picked her light form up. James scanned her face, and saw that she had the drawn face of someone who's lost weight. He swore under his breath. He turned to Sirius. "Padfoot? About the dart–"

"Yes, Prongs, I know. If anything happens, I'll get Lily out of here for you."

"Exactly. Don't waste time trying to save me."

"Wouldn't dream of it."

"Thanks," said James wryly, hoisting Lily into his arms.

Sirius opened the door for James, and they hurried down the corridor as quietly as possible, before following Marlene's set of instructions.

"Merlin, she's led us into a bloody maze," whispered Sirius as they arrived at a hall whose walls were lined with doors. "Which door did she say it was?"

"This one." Sirius followed James through, listening for any possible followers.

They continued on, taking turns carrying Lily. James had been initially reluctant to part with her at all, but after twenty solid minutes he was grateful to give Sirius a turn. Even though they had enchanted her to be weightless, it still cramped the arms.

"Okay, this is almost the last step," panted James, as he leaned against a wall for a brief rest. He had been carrying Lily for the past fifteen minutes. "This door should lead us to an underground tunnel that comes out at Knockturn Alley. There we can Apparate to Potter Manor, to Ar Nurtalë."

"Why not St. Mungo's? Have them have a look at her?"

"I don't want to expose her to danger, nor to other people, not just yet. I want to hear Dumbledore's advice first."

"All right, mate. Let's go." Sirius pushed open the door.

A dank reeking smell infiltrated their nostrils. "She called it a tunnel?" hissed James under his breath. "It's a bloody sewer!"

"C'mon!" Sirius whispered back, and he stepped forward. "_Lumus!_"

James also lit his wand.

Squeaks and little movements at the corner of the light told them there were most definitely rats around them. "Great, now I have to look at them," muttered James. "Padfoot? Want to turn into a dog and eat them all for the common good?"

"Prongs, dear friend, it'll be a desperate day indeed that I ever eat a rat."

They continued plodding their way on the walkway of the sewer, taking great caution not to go over the edge into the filthy waters.

"It almost seems too easy," whispered James peering at the shadows.

"Speak for yourself," muttered Sirius, who was now carrying Lily. He shifted her in his arms.

"We should have run into guards of some kind."

"We've got your girl, we're both alive, we're in one piece . . . well, three pieces because there's three of us, but you know what I mean. Count your blessings, stop complaining, and let's just concentrate on getting out of here."

A deep voice tiptoed out of the shadows in front of them.

"_Nox!_"

The lights on James and Sirius's wands went out_. "Expelliarmus!"_

The wands flew out of their hands before they could even react.

"So you thought you could escape unnoticed," the voice continued, "sorry to foil your plans!"

Suddenly, a torch up on the wall by James' head lit, and the torch behind and in front of it followed suit, until all the torches in the sewer were lit.

Only fifteen feet in front of James were five wizards. All of them were armed, their wands out menacingly.

"Shit," hissed Sirius under his breath. He slowly placed Lily on the ground, ignoring the glare he was sure James was giving him. He straightened up to his full height, and waited to see what James would do.

James took a step forward. All of the wizards raised their wands, ready to strike at him.

He raised his hands in full view. "Idiots, what the devil are you doing?" he yelled, his voice ringing of the walls with arrogance.

The wizards hesitated slightly.

James shook his head and chuckled softly. "Oh _man_, is the Dark Lord going to be _pissed_ at you lot. This," he jerked his thumb at Lily, who was still on the floor, "is his sick niece, we're taking her to get a medicine. Give me back my bloody wand, and get the _fuck_ out of my way, and I just may not tell him of this stupidity of yours."

The wizards began to look at one another in visible confusion. "We didn't know he had a niece," said one of them suspiciously.

"Shows how close to him you are," said James sneeringly. "Would you like me to tell him you stood in my way?" he pressed, crossing his hands across his chest in annoyance.

_Oh Merlin please let this work! _

One of the wizards moved forward and handed James back a wand. James, not missing a beat, and rolling his eyes, tossed it to Sirius. "That's _his_ wand. Which of you arse-wipes has mine?"

Another wizard stepped forward, and handed James his wand.

"And what about mine?"

All of them whirled around to see where the last voice came from.

"Where's my wand?" said Lily, slowly and shakily attempting to get to her feet. Sirius immediately reached out an arm to steady her.

James had to kick himself to keep from running over to her and planting kisses all over her face.

Letting go of Sirius, she straightened up, brushed the hair out of her face, and looked positively regal as she surveyed the group of five wizards. "Which of you dullards took my wand?"

"There were only two lights on," began one of the wizards, "and there were only two wands –"

"No, there were not. As I'm not feeling well, I was being carried, and so I did not have my wand light on, but it was taken nonetheless." She tossed her head and squared her shoulders. "For the last time, before I report you to our Lord, my uncle, WHICH ONE OF YOU TOOK MY BLOODY WAND?"

James was genuinely beginning to get worried.

_I see what she's trying to do, but will it work?_

A wizard timidly took a step forward. "I'm really, really sorry, my lady, we must have lost your wand. Take mine in its stead." In his outstretched hand, he held his wand out for her.

"Blithering idiot, you _lost_ my wand?" she cried, but accepted the wand from him. She held it up and pointing it the wizard. "Get out of my sight, the lot of you, before I turn you into banshees." She raised her head high, and nodded to James and Sirius. "Let's carry on then, shall we?"

She raised her left arm around Sirius's neck, and he picked her up once more. "I can't walk well yet," she whispered out of the corner of her mouth.

He nodded, and carried her as he walked alongside James.

The three of them walked, and walked past the five Death Eaters, who were shrinking up against the slimy walls to let them pass.

They continued walking until they had turned several corners and had put a great distance between themselves and the wizards.

As they walked, Lily held the wand in her left hand, twirling it every now and then, and barely taking her eyes off it. She was treating it as a precious jewel, and every once in a while, she performed little charms that helped them along their way - turning the rats into butterflies, for instance.

_I can't believe it's been two months since I've held a wand!_

They climbed out of the sewer into the very end of Knockturn Alley just as the first rays of light were flickering across the sky. Ignoring their unpleasant surroundings, they continued walking until they had reached Diagon Alley. Sirius only broke the silence to whisper in Lily's ear, "We're Apparating to the Potter Manor. Ar Nurtalë."

Lily closed her eyes right before she Apparated, and when she opened them again, she smiled faintly in satisfaction – she had by no means lost her magical power in the months that she had been unable to use it.

It wasn't until they were standing on the front doorstep of the Manor, shivering in the early morning breeze, waiting for someone to open the door, that James dared to speak. Sirius put her down at the doorstep. "Mind taking a turn, mate?"

James could hold it no longer. "Lily?" he said croakily, turning to really see her for the first time in five years.

Her green eyes, the eyes he had so longed to see, widened as she looked up at him. A smile slowly made its way across her face.

"Hi, James," she said quietly.

He found himself suddenly speechless, somehow shy around her.

He picked her up carefully, his hands tingling as they touched her body, and carried her inside.

**

* * *

:)**


	12. It Won't Be Long

A/N on August 11, 2008: This chapter... well it's _long_! Sorry if that's a problem, there we just several things I needed to do here :)

**

* * *

**

**THE BEWITCHMENT OF JAMES POTTER**

**Chapter 12: It Won't Be Long**

**

* * *

**

Forget the three years it had been since Lily had run away from he and England; forget the two months of insomnia and anxiety, the eight weeks of obsessive, relentless searching. Forget even the recent situations: a day spent in hiding, a night spent in deceit and rescue, in which he and Sirius had risked their lives to save Lily; a night when their friend and fellow rescuer, Marlene McKinnon had given up her freedom and become a Death Eater to help them.

James gazed down at the slender form sleeping peacefully in front of him. He squeezed her hand gently, disbelieving that he once again had her right where he wanted her – near enough to see, close enough to touch, and by his side.

_It was all worth it._

A part of James could not wait for the moment in which she would wake up. They would catch up on the years over tea, with Lily laughing merrily at the funny stories he would tell. He would take her for long walks; she would smile and make him remember why he was happiest whenever he was around her. They would kiss...

The other part of him, the realistic part, absolutely dreaded her awakening. Not only would he have to listen to all that she had been through the past months (probably leading James to want to commit copious amounts of murder), he would have to tell her what she had missed during the two months of her capture.

_How can I possibly tell her office has ceased to exist, that it was blown to smithereens during a Death Eater attack? How do I tell her that her boss, the French Minister of Magic, is dead? That her adopted country is near chaos? That the dead minister's daughter, her friend Madeleine, is struggling to keep her mother on the right end of sanity, as well as being the media darling and public face of what is left of the Ministry, who is using her name and her father's memory to keep the country together?_

_ Yes_, thought James grimly, _that will be a conversation better saved for another day._

James looked down at her – the small, curled-up form whose dark matted hair barely peeked above the blankets. He had been sitting at her beside since two hours earlier, when he had lain her down to sleep in the best guest room Ar Nurtalë had to offer. He drew the covers down only enough to reveal her pale forehead. He felt her exposed skin with the back of his hand. _A fever_, he thought grimly, feeling the burning flesh underneath his fingers. _My instructions had better be carried out as soon as possible. _

Two house-elves quietly tip-toed in; one of them whispered that the owls he had asked for upon their arrival to his manor had been sent.

Although relieved, James did not leave Lily's side. He held her hand and just watched her. By then the sun was fully out and light was peeking in through the corners of the heavy curtains that kept most of the room in near-darkness. And try as he might to stay awake, James drifted to sleep sitting in the chair which he had drawn up to Lily's side, his hand still holding hers.

Sirius came in for a third time, and gently removed Lily's hand from James' grasp. James stiffened, but relaxed when he recognized his best friend. "Shhh!"

"Well, Avada-Kedavra me for breathing!" hissed Sirius. "_She's _making more noise than I am!" he shot back - sure enough, she was snoring softly.

James grinned.

"You should get some sleep, too," added Sirius; James opened his mouth to protest, but he continued. "You won't be any good to any of us, not even to her, if you haven't gotten some rest... And there are other reasons you need to get rest," finished Sirius darkly.

James then remembered the dart with which the Councillor had attacked him. It wasn't that he'd forgotten it – each time it had been his turn to carry Lily on their way home, he had felt a searing pain upon lifting her up that lingered long after his turn was over and he had put her down. He hadn't given the wound itself much attention, but he knew that he should see a Healer.

James nodded and got up from the chair reluctantly. Once they were in the hall, he automatically opened the door to the empty bedroom next to hers, but Sirius pulled him back. "You'll sleep in your own room."

"It's on the other side of the manor!"

"You're the one who had to try and impress her by putting her in the best guestroom. She'll be fine; I'll be close by."

"That's supposed to be comforting?" asked James sarcastically.

The corners of Sirius' lips curved slightly. "Well, it could be… for _her_…"

James half-jokingly, half-seriously punched his friend on the shoulder.

Sirius burst out laughing. "C'mon, she'd be the last person I'd go for."

"It's not like she's ugly!"

"An utter troll."

James knew his friend was joking. "In comparison to McKinnon, you mean?"

Sirius clapped James on the shoulder. "Most people think I'm a stone pharaoh when it comes to my feelings, but somehow you keep surprising me."

James rolled his eyes. "So difficult to figure out that you're shagging a pretty girl that you've been in close encounters with for two months."

"We haven't-" began Sirius.

"Yeah, right."

Although it was dark, James could tell his friend was blushing. _Most unusual._

"In any case, if anything did happen to Lily," said Sirius, abruptly changing the subject, "you could reach her quickly, because there's always the secret passageway in case of an emergency… not that you planned that, right?"

James smiled sheepishly as they continued down the hall.

"A word of advice…" Sirius continued, "if you want her to stay here for a while, give her space – just because she was so exhausted that she condescended to sleep here tonight does not mean she's willing to stay here indefinitely. With a woman like her, you need to make her believe she's making her own choices."

"Make her believe?" repeated James, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, in reality, we men run the show."

James shook his head. "If Lily had heard that-"

"But she didn't. So she can't call me a chauvinistic bastard. Anyway, what you have to do now is be prepared for when she wakes up. It's not going to be an easy day."

James nodded bleakly. "Well, I'm heading off to bed."

Sirius turned to face James, stopping in his tracks. "Who said anything about sleeping now?

James stared at him. "What was all that about 'you need your rest?'"

"Yes, but not yet, obviously."

"'_Obviously?_'"

Sirius grinned, a spark appearing in the depths of his grey eyes. "Obvious to anyone who knows that Dumbledore is here."

"_What?_" shouted James, attempting to restrain his impulse to throttle Sirius.

"I shall repeat it for those of us who seem to be hard of hearing. Dumbledore is–"

"Stop talking," ordered James, thinking quickly. "No, don't – how long has he been here? D'you mean to say you've been speaking to me all this time and - never mind. Where is he?"

"I wasn't sure how long it would take to pry you from your darling Lily, so I put him where the old boy would have some reading material."

James tore off in the direction of the manor's library.

**

* * *

**

When Lily woke up that morning, the first thing she felt was bewilderment. A thousand questions flooded her mind all at once, and coupled with the fact that her body should have slept for an entire day, instead of only the five hours it had allowed her to take, she was in a bit of shock.

At least she knew where she was and how she had come to be there.

_Why did James risk so much to save me? I'm sure that didn't please his girlfriend for him to risk it for me... although it surely was part of his job. That's it, maybe the British Ministry had conducted an investigation and it was coincidental that James is an Auror and was assigned to the case.  
_

With a guilty pang, Lily remembered Edouard.

_He's probably been worried sick__… I wonder if he knows that I'm safe and sound and at Potter Manor. _

_Wait a second. Does James know that I'm engaged? Who knows? After all, even though Edouard's mother was talking about it at the Welcoming Ball, she didn't mention my name, thank goodness._

_THANK GOODNESS? Lily Evans, did you honestly just express gratitude for the fact that James may be unaware of your upcoming marriage?_

_You can't honestly think that the reason he went looking for you is that he's still in love with you. Just because the two of you had a touching moment last night doesn't mean he still loves you like that. James is a decent person, of course he would assist in your rescue – he would have reacted that way with anyone that had been taken right in front of his eyes, not to mention the fact that there was once something very special between the two of you. He probably felt that he had to honour that - Gryffindor chivalry and all. He obviously only brought you to his home since he thinks you have no family to go home to. Therefore, no, he doesn't know about Edouard, otherwise he would have contacted him immediately. As you would do well to do as soon as possible._

Suddenly, her stomach gargled and growled loudly; Lily became aware of how profoundly hungry she was.

Her throat felt dry as she tried to clear it. "James?" she called out tentatively.

"Miss, you is awake!" a perky voice cried from somewhere on the right side of the darkened room.

Lily's eyes widened with concern. "Who's there?" she called out, reaching instinctively for the wand she had hidden under her pillow, as thoughts of the diabolical creature that had assisted Councillor Four came to mind.

She heard the rustling of curtains and suddenly the room was full of the bright morning light. Lily blinked fast to adjust her eyes, but she felt something inside her melt with happiness. _My first daylight afternoon in two months!_ More and more curtains were opened until the room was full of all the light that the five large uncovered windows could provide, and Lily could get her first look at her surroundings.

It was a beautiful rectangular room, with wood panelling on the lower section of the walls and a gold and green leaf pattern on the wall tapestries; the bed was a canopied queen-sized four-poster. At the opposite end of the room, there was a matching full-size dresser and chest of drawers, as well as a couple of old-fashioned high-backed chairs. The hardwood floor looked wonderfully aged, but seemed pleasant to walk on as it was covered in Oriental carpets.

She saw the chair James had pulled up to be close to her; it was still next to her bed.

"Good day, Miss!" A little face came up to her right – the owner of the face was obviously on her tiptoes as she attempted to talk to Lily on the high bed. "I am Tessy, and I is at you and your family's service." The head disappeared momentarily, due to what must have been a bow.

"Hello Tessy, I'm Lily," answered Lily, smiling at the little house elf. "Would you like to stand on the chair so we can talk?"

The house-elf's eyes widened, and then she allowed herself a little smile. "Well - yes thanks Miss!" She hopped up to the chair that James had sat on the night before and they were now able to look at each other eye-to-eye. "I is come to bring you food, but Master says I should ask first what you is wanting."

"Master?" cried Lily. "Is James awake already?"

"My Master has not yet slept!" exclaimed Tessy, "me thinks he has not slept much of late at all! My poor, poor Master, just back from such danger and still he sleeps not." The house-elf gave Lily what was unmistakably an accusatory look.

"Your master rescued me," explained Lily, trying to sound as grateful as possible, despite the hunger so great she could have eaten the house-elf.

Tessy's eyes glistened over with tears. "He is the most noble of all men! So brave and selfless!" She touched her eyes with the corners of the quaint little apron she wore.

"James?" Lily resisted the urge to smile, recalling events in James' past that were slightly less than noble and self-less_. _

_Letting people float upside down, suspended by their ankle; showing off constantly with his Golden Snitch (even though he was a Chaser); pinning girl's underpants to the Gryffindor Quidditch Banner… _

_Well. He did mature eventually._

Tessy nodded emphatically, pulling at the covers of Lily's bed with excitement. "And Master's merits are renown and he is respected by the greatest of wizards and the most powerful of men. In fact," the house-elf's voice dropped to a whisper and she talked confidentially, "you will not guess who now is here, meeting with Master."

_Probably Sirius, _Lily thought, a sinking feeling in her gut. "No Tessy, tell me who?" she asked, fighting to keep the sarcasm from her voice.

_The house-elf probably thinks Sirius Black is another of God's gift to humanity – she is female, after all._

Tessy took on a tone of reverence. "One of the greatest wizards that has ever existed. Albus Dumbledore visits Master today."

"Dumbledore?" cried out Lily loudly, startling the little house elf, who jumped and promptly fell off the chair.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" She leaned over the edge of the bed to see Tessy sitting on the floor, rubbing her bumped head.

"The young miss knows Dumbledore?" asked Tessy, standing up, her eyes wide with excitement.

"You could say that. Listen, I need to ask you a favour," said Lily, thinking fast. She tried moving her arms and legs, and felt that she could walk, albeit with assistance.

"Yes, Miss?"

"I need you to help me go over to see Dumbledore."

Tessy shook her head from side to side vigorously. "Oh no, I cannot do that! Master says you are tired, you must rest, Miss." The house-elf seemed genuinely sad that she was unable to help her. "But food I can bring you, please, whatever you likes. Hot porridge, cinnamon oatmeal, French toast?"

Lily shook her head no.

"Blueberry pancakes, cinnamon apple crêpes, an omelette with anything Miss likes in it?"

Lily gave the house-elf in what she hoped was a winning smile. "I appreciate the offer, I really am hungry..." Her stomach seemed to roar when she heard the options. "But you know what would make me and your Master really, really happy?"

The house-elf's eyes, clearly willing to do anything she could for James. "No, miss, what can Tessy do?"

"I would love to eat with him and Dumbledore."

"But they do not eat, Miss. They sit in Master's office, with Master Black, and two other wizards, and talk about..." Tessy's voice trailed off.

Lily could tell that the Tessy thought she had already given away too much, and decided not to press the poor elf further. "Right then, Tessy, it's _really_ important that I see these men. Tessy-" the house-elf had begun shaking her head emphatically 'no' again, "please listen and please help me. I am in a dire situation and only Dumbledore can help me."

"What is wrong, Miss, can Tessy help at all?"

"No, I'm sorry, I wish you could. But it is Dumbledore whose aid I need."

Tessy hung her head resolutely. "Then Tessy shall help Miss to see him."

* * *

"Watch where you're poking that thing!" shouted James at the wizard prodding him with a pointed silver instrument.

James was lying on a black leather sofa in the manor's library, his abdomen exposed. It was a large room, with a ceiling high enough to fit a three-story house. It was furnished with dark oak furniture, all of it polished and aged, such as the over-sized desk next to him, which dominated the room because of its placement directly in front of the window that made up the entire fourth wall of the room, although the partially drawn, thick scarlet curtains kept out most of the sunlight. Books lined the remaining three walls. Many comfortable armchairs and sofas were placed throughout the room. Handsome lamps topped the small oak tables; upon each table there was also a small pile of books.

Present were Sirius, Professor Dumbledore, a Ministry wizard named Admus Foftin, a Potions Master at the Department of Magical Defense, and Martin Gaeler, a Healer from St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. Both Foftin and Gaeler had been immediately summoned by Dumbledore to examine James' wound from the poison dart that Councillor Four had inflicted upon him. As of yet, the only effects from the darts had been angry little red lines that had appeared near the wound.

And that's why James was lying on the hard leather sofa in front of the library's massive granite fireplace, the wound in his side being poked, his skin dabbed with an acrylic-smelling substance, and enduring countless seemingly stupid questions such as "When the dart hit you, was the pain stinging, throbbing, pulsating, stabbing, or burning?"

Sirius was watching what the wizards were doing with a glaring look that warned them that if they caused James any unnecessary pain, he would not hesitate to intervene.

Professor Dumbledore stood in a corner of the room, dressed in splendid navy blue robes that were spangled with lightning bolts, listening intently to the goings-on, yet also simultaneously examining the library's collection of first edition Lord Byron volumes.

James could tell Foftin and Gaeler had worked with each other and with Dumbledore in the past by their lack of questions about the particular situation (where he had sustained the injury, what he had been doing). Dumbledore had not yet asked any of these questions either – he apparently wished to wait until they left. Foftin and Gaeler occasionally spoke to each other in low voices, shifting uncomfortably and acutely aware of Sirius's eyes boring into them.

"Professor?" Foftin had called out to Dumbledore, a great reluctance in his voice. "You may want to have a look at this."

"…'snatched away in beauty's bloom, on thee shall press'…" Dumbledore looked up from the volume he was perusing. "Certainly."

Sirius immediately came close to look as well; James rolled his eyes up towards the ceiling when he noticed this. "Chill, Padfoot, you're doing the anxious mother hen thing again – like I said, it's nothing."

Dumbledore walked over to James, and bent down close to the wound.

"Look," said Gaeler, pointing a finger at a thin, angry red line that had sprung from the wound slightly above James' right hip and had crawled across his skin towards his belly-button, "and these," he pointed at a few other lines, "and that! It's looks rather like a spider web."

"So it does," said Dumbledore in a low voice, "so it does." He ran a hand over James' side, and closed his eyes, thinking.

After a few moments, he turned to the Healer. "What do you think is at work here?"

Gaeler took a deep breath. "It is clearly a poison-"

"No shit."

"Black," cautioned Dumbledore, "please refarin from issuing the kind of interruptions that prevent the propagation of knowledge. Mr. Gaeler?"

Gaeler swallowed audibly, apparently trying to ignore the fierce look on Sirius' face. "It seems to be a slow-acting poison… whose effects are seemingly impossible to determine at first, as they appear gradually with the pass of time. These markings," he pointed at the web pattern, " seem to spread with the poison slowly through the bloodstream."

"However," continued Foftin, "it is impossible to know what the poison is meant to do – is it a deadly one, an incapacitating one, or was it simply created to produce these alarming symptoms and thus cause you great concern? The truth of it is that I don't recall seeing these symptoms ever before. It will take several studies for Mr. Gaeler and I to determine the composition of the poison and the proper antidote."

"So you have no idea what this is?" asked James, his eyebrows knit together in concern.

"As of yet, no."

"Great," muttered Sirius, suddenly sounding incredibly dejected, "great! I suppose we should take James over to St. Mungo's, to have him properly tested and all."

"I am _not_ going to St. Mungo's!" shouted James, his tone definite and defiant.

_Not after what happened last time._

James somehow knew the nurses there hadn't quite forgiven him yet. He had been there for a week because of a nasty rash of pus-filled blisters he had contracted after a dungeon raid the previous year. He had made a bet with Sirius regarding the number of nurses his friend could get to "know." The number had been shockingly high; James had owed Sirius dozens of Galleons by the end of the week.

Foftin and Gaeler exchanged a meaningful glance, and Foftin addressed James, avoiding his eyes. "Well, since you will not come in, we will, er, have to take, er, samples back with us to examine."

"What kind of samples?"

Foftin looked at Gaeler, who continued in a low voice. "Blood, damaged tissue, healthy tissue, and we would like to eventually inspect the dart..."

"In addition," added Gaeler, "we would have to take two samples of each, as we each be working on this in our own labs, although we will definitely be collaborating."

Sirius looked ready to commit murder. "If you think you are taking–"

"Padfoot, get a grip," said James, rolling his eyes, although inside he was rather touched that Sirius cared - not that he'd ever admit it. He turned to the Healer and the Potions Master. "All right, if you must, you must. Please begin with your sample-taking, but take three of whatever you need."

Both Gaeler and Foftin gave him a questioning look; Sirius' eyes blazed. _"Three?_"

"I have the right to have my own private investigator looking into this, of course," explained James.

_And since Marlene still has access to the dungeon that made that crap, she may figure this out before they do._

"Of course."

"OUCH!" yelled James, resisting the urge to curse the Healer into oblivion. "Warn me before you start cutting!" He watched a thin dark stream of his own blood rise from out of the wound into the air and be siphoned into the vial Gaeler was holding out.

"Will the young lady you mentioned be coming in for examination at St. Mungo's?" inquired Gaeler as he selected an instrument from his black case.

"I think not," responded Dumbledore, as he moved away to allow Gaeler to work. "It is best for her to remain here as long as possible."

"Sir, Lily will probably want to leave as soon as she becomes lucid," interjected James, grimacing. Although the Healer had used a local anaesthetic potion, the poking and prodding still hurt.

"If I remember Ms. Evans accurately, then you are correct. But if I remember you correctly, then I know you will find a way to keep her here, at least for another day."

As the last of all the samples was being collected, James was looking rather pale and a feeling quite queasy. After his initial yelp, he had managed to maintain a noble silence, resisting the urge to swear.

"All right, all done." Foftin screwed on the lid to the last vial, and labelled it with a flick of his wand. "These are the extra samples you requested."

"T-Thank you," said James, breathing hard, his eyes close. It was impossible to say that without a tinge of sarcasm.

Gaeler handed him a cup. "Drink this."

"What is it?" asked James, eying and sniffing the murky contents suspiciously.

"Hot chocolate."

"Oh." James complied, and as soon as he had begun sipping it, he felt warmth surge through his body. "Professor Dumbledore?"

"Yes?"

"I don't want Lily to know about this."

"Are you sure?"

James nodded, and tilted his head back as he drained the last few drops of his hot chocolate.

"Very well then. Foftin, I am grateful for your assistance. I would appreciate that you consider this of the utmost priority and that you conduct the tests with the usual secrecy."

Foftin nodded his goodbye to them all, clearly happy to be leaving; without a word he stepped over to the fireplace, and after fumbling with his pocket to find the appropriate powder, Flooed out of the living room.

Dumbledore turned to the Healer. "After you finish wrapping that up," for indeed, Gaeler was now applying gauze to James' wound, "I have a witch who was held captive for two months that I would like you to have a look at."

Gaeler nodded, clearly used to working for Dumbledore, and finished wrapping James' wound. "How are you feeling?"

James adjusted his robes back to the proper position as he stood up, covering up his bandages. "Well, if you're all done staring at me while I'm half naked, I'd feel quite well indeed." He turned to Dumbledore. "There are many important things we haven't discussed."

"It is because of their importance that they have not yet been discussed – or do you believe that it would be fair or appropriate to deprive Ms. Evans of the opportunity to participate?"

Sirius elbowed James on his uninjured side. "Yeah, Prongs, witches are people too."

Before James could protest the unfairness of that statement - the whole "we men run the show" comment coming to James' mind - the door to the study office opened, and in came Lily, assisted by the house-elf Tessy and the old butler, Rupert.

"Hello James and Sirius, very nice to see you Professor Dumbledore, and I'm afraid I don't know who you are," she said, addressing Gaeler, as they made their way slowly across the room. She was leaning heavily on both house-elves, slowly placing one foot in front of the other.

It pained James to see her like this and it took all of his efforts to restrain himself from rushing across the room and carrying her over. However, remembering their talk from earlier that morning, he nodded to Sirius, who received Lily from the house-elf and escorted her to a high-backed chair. James instead walked back over to his desk, away from her, determined to follow Sirius' advice to give her some space. He was dismayed to realize that she had still not bathed and changed out of her filthy robes, which told him that she had gone to find him as soon as she had woken up.

_She definitely must have heard about Dumbledore being here - she wasn't at all surprised to see him_.

James felt his heart beat faster.

Dumbledore stepped forward, peering intently into Lily's eyes. "Ah, Ms. Evans, it is quite a delight for my old eyes to see you looking so intact after two months of capture."

Lily smiled back. "You look wonderful yourself, sir, are those new robes?"

"Ah, they were a recent acquisition." His eyes twinkling amusedly behind his half-moon spectacles. "How are you feeling this morning? I would have thought you would have slept in more."

"Unfortunately, my body seemed unwilling to let me rest - I know I look quite horrid. I plead extenuating circumstances."

James glanced at Tessy, who was hanging around at Lily's left. "Tessy? Will you bring Ms. Evans some lemon tea and something hot to eat, please? And for me some more hot chocolate. Professor, would you like anything?"

"Hot chocolate?" snickered Lily.

"Is there something wrong with indulging in the consumption of hot chocolate?" asked Dumbledore innocently. "I myself often state that a glass of it a day keeps the healer away. Oh, and speaking of healers... Ms. Evans, please do not be displeased, but I took the liberty of inviting Mr. Gaeler," he pointed at the other wizard in the room, "who is an accomplished Healer at St. Mungo's and has worked with me extensively in the past, to examine you and make some recommendations. As soon as I was informed of your successful rescue, I knew that you might require some medical attention."

Lily sighed resignedly. "Very well then. By the way, do the ministries know that I'm back?"

"In summary, no. I believe it is wise to wait a couple of days before they both pound on your door demanding your return to work - I suspect both the French and British governments will be wanting a word with you. But we shall talk about that later, after you have been examined."

The men, with the exception of Gaeler, exited the room to give her privacy. James tried not to grimace as he did so – the pain in his side from all the poking and prodding had become acute.

_And I have no desire to let her out of my sight for longer than is absolutely necessary._

James led Dumbledore and Sirius into the front parlour, a room that afforded pleasant views of some of the Ar Nurtalë lands, including the green lake and the edge of the forest; closer to the window was a bed of wildflowers.

But James, however, was in no mood to appreciate scenery.

"You know that I can't keep Lily here if she doesn't wish to be here."

Dumbledore observed James from behind his spectacles. "I suppose you are right. However, she cannot go back to France yet."

"Is she that ill?" asked Sirius, "I thought she was mostly tired… not to mention rather odorous."

James glowered at him. "You smell as bad after only a day of not showering."

Dumbledore ignored the commentary, but answered the question. "I suspect that she needs time for emotional healing. And, if I may say so, you have quite the place for that," said Dumbledore, indicating the sprawling grounds visible through the window. "She will also be safe here. Ar Nurtalë's masters have certainly added to her magical defences throughout the years."

James smiled, looking out at the land that was so dear to him. "I suppose we have. The only thing that makes Hogwarts safer is the fact that you are there, sir."

Sirius peered out into the hall. "I think they're done."

"That was quick." James turned to Dumbledore. "Professor, why don't you go ahead, I need to speak with Sirius about something personal."

"Very well."

Dumbledore exited the room, but it was not until James heard the click that indicated that the library door had closed that he turned to Sirius.

"You didn't mention anything about the Order thing of his," said James, his tone almost accusing.

"Neither did you," pointed out Sirius affably.

James frowned slightly. "I'm not the one deliberately being excluded from it."

"All the more reason for me _not _to bring it up."

"Padfoot, I don't understand how you can be so calm about this. You've spent all your life fighting against your family's reputation, distancing yourself form them – you ran away from home for heaven's sake! - and it is this reputation that is the reason that you are not permitted to join. Why aren't you angry?"

"Isn't it obvious?" snapped Sirius, visibly annoyed. "You don't get it, do you? It's not just my family's rumoured reputation – it's my brother's actual situation."

James remembered their night at the Death Eater's headquarters. _Was it really only last night? _

He could see Remulus Black as they were waiting in front of the great silver door, standing there with his dark eyes fixed on the floor, deliberately avoiding his brother's eyes. This had been the first time Sirius had brought it up, and James was at a loss for words.

When James looked up, he could see why Regulus had had trouble meeting Sirius' stony eyes – the coldness within them would have frozen fire.

They went back in to the library hear the report on Lily's health. Once this was given, Mr. Gaeler had returned to St. Mungo's, and the four were finally able to speak at liberty about the important matters they needed to discuss.

"See, I told you I was fine," said Lily smugly, addressing James, as Dumbledore escorted her to a comfortable chair.

"No need to be hostile," butted in Sirius defensively, as he took a seat to her right and James took one across from her; Dumbledore preferred the one directly to her left.

"Plus, I don't exactly call being anaemic, undernourished, with several scrapes, as part of the description of the word 'fine'," James added, but quieted at the defensive look on Lily's face.

"For your information, those cuts were perfectly healed!"

"Evans, Potter. That's quite enough," said Professor Dumbledore in a voice that was low yet forceful; Lily sat down on the couch sofa and allowed Tessy to serve her some tea and oatmeal from the tray that she had brought. "Ah, excellent Tessy, that should place Ms. Evans on the path to recovery more rapidly that the arguments she seems to enjoy - Ah, ah, start eating, please," he said, just as Lily had begun to protest.

"Right then. Mr. Potter, Mr. Black, please sit down near Ms. Evans so that I may finally be allowed to say what I came here to say. Although admittedly my intention in presenting myself at your door in answer to your summons -"

"I didn't _summon_ you," protested James, but was elegantly cut off by Dumbledore.

Although determined to pay attention, Lily was soon distracted by the wonderful smell wafting up from the oatmeal in front of her. She took one tentative bite.

"Let me pretend that you did not rudely interrupt me and continue in my stream of thoughts before my old mind casts itself in a different direction and I forget the present course entirely... Yes, you did summon me, as you had asked your elf to notify me as soon as you were back. And rightly so. I wished to be informed immediately of the success of your mission – and how I did hope it would indeed be successful." He smiled briefly as he looked at them again.

Lily took a second bite. It was closely followed by a third.

"However, the reasons why I prayed for your success go beyond those feelings of caring for three of his most talented former students that an old Headmaster carries with him, beyond the sentiment of pride for your professional successes, and beyond the experience of concern for you, Ms. Evans, upon your abduction. Although each of these reasons are sufficient, the reason why I am here is that I have come to remind you - in your case, Ms. Evans, to inform you - that the aid you received on your quest was through my contacts and their information, and in turn I ask of you to help me in my own quest. I can tell you without an element of exageration that it is one that can change the path of history."

Lily set aside her spoon and picked up the bowl of hot oatmeal with both hands, unable to stop herself from gulping it down. Although what Dumbledore was saying was certainly interesting, the oatmeal was utterly engrossing.

"I thus do not ask this lightly, hoping that you will comply not out of a desire to repay what is owed, but out of the desire to rid this world of the greatest evil of our times. I ask - I beg - you to join the Order of the Pheonix, a group of witches and wizards committed to fighting Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters."

"Oswafeez?"

The three men turned to Lily with surprised yet amused expressions.

"Pardon," she said, blushing as she swallowed the huge gulp she had taken, and forced herself to put the bowl down. "Order of the Pheonix?" she tried again, looking at James and Sirius, "Did you already know about this?"

"We had an inkling," said Sirius nonchalantly.

"An inkling..." Lily paused, thinking. Suddenly it came to her. She felt so sick with dread she was sure she would throw up the oatmeal that she had just ingested. "Where's Marlene?"

Sirius turned to James, an eyebrow raised. "Doesn't it creep you out when she does that?"

"This is hardly funny!" shouted Lily, obviously upset – her hands were shaking in her lap. "Did you leave her behind?"

"How did you know we had Marlene with us?" asked James, wishing for once that his ex-girlfriend wasn't so intelligent.

Lily shook her head as if trying to make sense of her thoughts. "I don't know, it just clicked – how you were able to get through security, how you knew which night to rescue me, how you knew the way out - the witch that was working with Councillor Four." Her voice trailed off as her eyes widened as she realized something else. "She's undercover as a Death Eater now, isn't she?" she cried, jumping to her feet.

"Lily, please calm down," said Sirius, reaching for her slowly.

"Do you mean to say," Lily shouted, her voice raising with every word, "that in order to save me you left her behind?"

James nodded, but decided not to defend himself. "Do not think for a minute that it was our decision to leave her there. She gave us no choice."

Lily swayed slightly as the blood rushed up to her head.

"Lily-" began James, his voice full of concern.

"I'm fine," she said, sinking back down into her seat, raising the palms of her hands to her forehead in frustration. Words that Dumbledore had said came back to her past the dizziness. She looked up at Dumbledore, her eyes accusing. "Marlene was a member of the Order of the Pheonix?"

"No," answered Sirius, "she was helping us find you through the Ministry, which had allowed us to add her to our small elite search team, on the condition that we give them any information we find on the Death Eaters."

But James was looking at Dumbledore too, and his heart sank when he realized that Lily was right. "So she _is_ part of the Order, sir?"

"Yes, she is."

Sirius' expression was indescribable. His eyes grew darker than a nightly storm; his knuckles went white as he gripped the arms of the chair. "Why didn't you tell us?" he managed to say through his gritted teeth.

Dumbledore did not address the accusation that his question implied; he simply looked at Sirius. "She did not wish me to do so."

James stood up. "Sir, I respect you as I respect very few others. But I find this inexcusable – I was leading a mission, and when I do that, I need to know everything about those who I am responsible for, to be able to predict how they will act. Now I know why she did not leave – did she have your orders to stay?"

Dumbledore did not respond immediately. Instead, he drew his long fingers together, fingertip to fingertip, in front of his face pensively. "The situation is not as white and black as you are making it seem. I invited Marlene to join the Order. She agreed, on the condition that the Order would undertake a mission to recover Lily. I connected the three of you. From what she has told me, she was unfortunately unable to extricate herself from their midst before the Branding of Brothers ceremony without drawing suspicion to herself, and became, as you deduced Ms. Evans, a Death Eater. However, I recently spoke with her, and she has agreed to remain as one of them – at a great personal risk."

Only six of those words seemed to have registered on Sirius' mind. "You – You spoke to her quite recently?"

James handed Dumbledore the wooden box where he had placed the samples Gaeler and Foftin had taken. "Then take these to her."

Dumbledore received it and placed them in a black dragonskin bag he had brought. "It shall be done."

Lily clasped her hands together and pressed them to her mouth. "I need you to tell me everything that has happened in the past two months."

James could feel Sirius trying to catch his eye, but James resisted as his eyes were firmly locked on Lily's.

Cold dread began to creep into Lily as she felt the warm sympathy and profound sadness emanating from James' gaze.

The two best friends took turns telling the majority of the story, with Dumbledore complementing their narration with further details.

More than once they had to stop and wait for Lily to collect herself so that she could hear the rest. The sight of the tears flooding her green eyes and streaming down her cheeks as she passively listened to the tale of destruction was slowly tearing at James' heart.

_She is going to be the death of me._

And then they began the story of how they had rescued her. Once Lily was finished asking all the questions that she had to ask, she leaned back in the seat, her face looking more tired than ever. _I owe them all so much. More than I can ever repay, more than I can understand._ Her eyes closed.

"Ms. Evans," Lily could hear Dumbledore's strong voice calling her to return to reality. "I know that this comes as a shock. I would love for nothing more that to allow you to rest until the end of days and ask nothing more of you. However, for the Order to have the capacity to take further action, it is imperative that you now tell me what you experienced these past two months."

Lily opened her eyes slowly.

James gripped the arm of the chair in the same way Sirius had done when they were cutting into James's skin.

"I was tortured. What else do you want to know? How many times a day? How they did it?" She took a deep breath, evidently collecting her thoughts. "They varied their technique. From what I understand, at first, they just wanted to know everything about the French Ministère – when it became evident that I was not going to give them these answers, they decided to use me instead to try out a new torture method – potions designed to make me relive my worst experiences, and then, once my soul had been broken, they would be able to use the same potions to ask me any question they wanted me to do. And I would respond willingly."

"They weren't able to break you?" asked Sirius incredulously, reaching over and prying James' hand off the arm of the chair to avoid permanent to the furniture.

Lily rolled her eyes, adding, "Obviously not, or they would have disposed of me long ago."

Dumbledore nodded serenely, but looked at her in a way that expressed that she should continue. "I know it is difficult, but for the greater good..."

Lily took a deep breath, and began telling them her story. She described the place where she had woken up after they had captured her – the small yet arena-like headquarters, the methods that they had used to keep her submissive, the people she had seen – she described the Councillors, the Four of them, and then focused on the one that had been the cause of her pain for so long. "Councillor Four made me relive the worst moments of my life – the day I found out my parents had died, the day of their funeral, the day I had to leave Hogwarts." As she kept describing these days, she realised that she had to omit a few of them.

_There is no way I am going to talk about my first kiss with James, or my many experiences dating him, or random times at Hogwarts – and especially not my memory of _that_ time._

So she modified her descriptions, stating only that random days at Hogwarts were sometimes pulled out of her during the ordeal (leaving out the make-out sessions). However, as Lily kept speaking, she realized that these memories were not sad at all. And then she realized that they had another similarity – James was in all of them – however, she decided to not state that either.

Lily continued, and described the day they had rescued her – how the Councillor had seemed stressed to the breaking point, how Marlene had acted when she was undercover. She also told them that because of her torture treatment, a significant part of the day was a blank.

Sirius pried James' hand off the chair for the fifth time. "And you're sure you don't remember him saying anything about a poisoned dart?"

Lily raised an eyebrow. "Poisoned dart?"

"Yeah, he almost hit Marlene with one," added James, resisting the urge to stamp on his best friend's foot.

Lily scowled, remembering that her friend was still back in that hellhole. "No, I don't think so."

Dumbledore surveyed them all again, and clapped his hands together. "Well, although I understand perfectly well that there has been much to discuss, may I ask - when are going to inquire was to where all the Death Eaters went last night, which led to a facilitated escape from their headquarters?"

Lily's eyebrows furrowed together, deep in thought.

Sirius, noticing this, leaned over and hissed, "Don't bother, there's no way you can figure this out – _I_ don't even know."

Lily ignored him, and kept thinking, trying not to look at James, who was clearly attempting to compete with her – he was concentrating so hard, he looked like he was trying to lay an egg.

Lily suddenly let out an audible gasp. "Surely not!"

James clapped a hand to his forehead. "Impossible!"

Sirius spun around, glaring at them both interchangeably. "You've got to be joking."

Lily and James looked at each other and said it simultaneously: "_Azkaban_?"

"That's stupid, you can't assault Azkaban," stated Sirius matter-of-factly, "do you have any idea how harsh the dementors–"

"They did," confirmed Dumbledore severely, "but the Order was there. They almost succeeded in freeing Fenrir Greyback, among others, but we stopped them."

Sirius and James immediately shot to their feet.

"Does Remus know?" shouted Sirius, rushing towards the fireplace.

Lily pulled him back. "Get a grip. Remus is already a werewolf; although it would be a blow if Greyback escaped, it wouldn't have changed his present situation."

James and Sirius stared at her. "You know Remus is a werewolf?" they asked in unison, their faces registering shock.

"Of_ course_ I knew," snapped Lily in annoyance, "I own a calendar! Did you honestly think I wouldn't find out about his 'little furry problem,' as you _so creatively _called it? Not to mention the other furry problems Hogwarts had to worry about," she said, significance dripping into every syllable.

James eyes widened as he prayed that Lily would never tell Dumbledore that he and three friends had violated Dumbledore's trust by having three of them become unregistered Animagi.

_Why the hell did she never tell me that she knew? It would have made things so much easier… _

He knew Lily was very intelligent and incredibly intuitive, but this was getting ridiculous.

Dumbledore drew himself to his feet. "I understand that you may need some time to decide whether or not you will join the Order of the Pheonix. The dangers–"

"I'm in."

James turned to Lily, his heart sinking. _Not again_. "Think about it, please–"

"So am I."

James spun around to face his so-called best friend, his expression that of someone who had been stabbed in the back. "Sirius – Lily –" His shoulders dropped as he realized there was no hope to change Lily's mind. He sighed. "I'm in, too."_ At least now they've offered Sirius a place._

Dumbledore smiled at them. "I accept your decision, and will let you know when and where you must report in due time. For now, however," he turned to face Lily, "as difficult as it may be, you are to not go looking for McKinnon, but to remain here, healing."

"But sir, I don't want to stay-"

"Consider it to be your first orders from the Order. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to give my condolences to the family of Benjy Fenwick. He was blasted to pieces last night and we couldn't even recover the remains."

Turning his back on Lily, Dumbledore promptly jumped into the fires and spun away.

"Oh Merlin."

James immediately looked at Lily, noticing the scowl on her face. "I didn't know that being with me was that awful."

"It's not that - it's Benjy, don't you remember him from Hogwarts? He was a seventh year in Ravenclaw when we first got there." Lily turned to Sirius, but he had left her side and was behind the desk. "What are you doing?"

Sirius pulled out a bottle of fire-whiskey from one of the drawers. "It's just one of those days, love - what with Marlene staying with the Death Eaters, us joining the Order, and hearing about Fenwick - notice good ole Dumbledore only told us about him _after_ we joined the Order..." he reached in and withdrew a single glass, "unless you would like to join?" he said, ducking down for a second glass.

"Yes, she would, since alcohol is the best thing for her right now," snapped James, glowering at his friend.

"You don't get to make that kind of decision for me," she stated firmly as she watched Sirius poured his first glass. "And neither can you keep me here against my will."

Lily knew her hair was a mess, that her skin was absolutely filthy from contents of the dungeon, and that her robes were ripped and reeked of the many odours of the place she had spent two months inhabiting. Nonetheless, she continued speaking with perfect dignity. "Thank you for everything," she said to them, straightening her robes, "I know that if it weren't for you I'd still be… _there,_" she shuddered at the very thought, "but is there any way you could take me home?"

"Excuse me?" said James slowly, not trusting himself to keep his voice straight. "Didn't you hear Dumbledore?"

Sirius was less polite. "Don't be ridiculous," he said flatly, moving towards Lily, "here, let me carry you back to your bed, you must be getting dizzy – it's clear you don't know what you're saying."

Lily tried to glare at him. "Look, I know you saved me and that I owe you more than I can ever repay."

James fought to keep his voice down and his temper cool as he realized that she was serious. "Forget about France – what about _yourself_? Sirius and I carried you almost all night and early morning because you couldn't even walk on your own. You had to be escorted into this room by house-elves because you can't walk more than two bloody steps. It's impossible, not to mention dangerous, for you to go to back to France right now," he said as gently as he could, his eyes imploring her to understand. "Now, I have plenty of rooms, and only the best service. Anything you need you will get; you are safe here."

Her vision blurred with tears that she hurriedly shrugged off. _Get a grip! _she ordered herself_._ "Le Vau is dead," she stated, squaring her shoulders. "They need me back there to help rebuild a country."

"I think she's delirious," muttered Sirius in what he obviously thought was a quiet voice.

"I am_ not_ delirious!" Lily swayed as she worked up the energy to yell that phrase; James glared at Sirius.

"Not helping," hissed James to his best friend; as he turned to Lily, his tone softened. "Lily, I just want to help you," he said, reaching out to steady her.

She snatched away from his grasp. "I don't need your bloody help!" she yelled. The room began to spin; her legs felt unsteady and suddenly all she could see was the floor rushing up to meet her.

James immediately reached out, and his strong arms caught her inches before her head made contact with the hard marble floor. He slid his other arm under her, easily picking her up. He flinched slightly as pain seared through his side; Lily did not notice. He bit his lip against the pain and started to walk.

_That's the one thing she is_ _not__ going to hear about anytime soon._

"Put me down this second!"

But James didn't respond to her appeals, he only tightened his hold around her, and carried her through the main hall. "Padfoot, lead the way."

"Don't, Sirius, make him put me down!" she demanded, twisting in James' grasp.

But all her movements, which felt so draining to her, could not match James' resolve. It wasn't that he was holding her particularly tightly - it was that she was so weak. And Sirius, of course, didn't listen to anyone but James (and even James only sometimes). He pointed his wand at the one at the beginning of the hallway to their right.

Lily began to feel nauseated and gave up her pathetic physical fight.

"Hey, it's okay," whispered James as he tightened his hold on her, trying to reach out to her. "Don't cry."

"I'm not crying!" But she raised a hand up to her cheek to wipe away the single tear - two - three - that rolled down her cheek.

Finally, they reached the end of the hall, and Sirius opened the last door. He stepped inside and held the door for James, who came inside, and proceeded to the bed. Sirius pulled back the covers, and James, as gently as he could, laid Lily down. "Now you can rest."

"James, all I want to do is go back."

Sirius looked at her with utter disbelief plain on his face – disbelief that was mixed with a certain amount of anger as well. "I think she should go to sleep immediately," he said, speaking as if she were not in the room, "and then tomorrow she'll wake up and realize what an idiot she's being."

When Sirius saw the look on James' face, he immediately sucked in his breath. "I'll just go get Tessy then, shall I?" He left the room so quickly Lily could have sworn that he'd Apparated.

James bent over Lily and pulled the covers over her. "Lily, I can't let you go home just yet."

She shrugged them off. "You don't control me!"

"You know what? Fine. I'll let you go back to Paris. But only if you can walk from this bed to that door without my assistance."

Lily closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. "You know perfectly well that I can't do that."

"And you know perfectly well that I can't let you go back. You're not well." 

"Why do you keep on rubbing my weakness in my face like that? Don't bother - I've suffered enough!"

Something within James snapped, and the restraint he had used to check his emotions was eviscerated. "So have I!" he yelled, grabbing her shoulders and gripping them tightly. "Oh Merlin, don't you know? I was crushed the day you left Hogwarts, when you tore yourself from the life that had me in it, and I was hurt all over again the day they kidnapped you - you have _no idea_ what that did to me! I searched for you, on and on, for days and weeks and months, wondering whether or not you were even _alive_." His voice choked on the last word, and he immediately let her go, finally realizing that he was hurting her. "The only thing that gave me any hope at all was the unproven belief that I would somehow _know_ if you had died, and so I kept on searching. And here you are now."

He took a deep, steadying breath as he removed himself from her bed. "And that is why you cannot leave, at least not tonight. Tonight you will be safe here."

He slowly began to walk to the door. "I also know that you're going to need some space. I'm going to leave now, but Tessy is a very capable house elf that has looked after my family for years. She will be here soon to look after your every desire. And I'll be nearby."

He shut the door quietly behind him, and did not look back.

If he had, he would have seen the shock plain on Lily's face.

_He still cares._

_And he's watching over me.__  
_

_Now I can rest._

She barely noticed Tessy shutting the drapes to block out the daylight when sleep came to claim her.

* * *

"… And I've been working… like looog…"

"… I should be sleeping… like a dooog…"

_It's "working like a _dog_" and "sleeping like a _log_," dullard. And your pitch is off._

"Get home with you, to find the things I would do…"

_It's "get home _to_ you and find the things _that you _do…" And for god's sake stay on key!_

"… it's been A Hard Night's Day…"

"It's 'a hard day's night', you incompetent thug," Lily muttered into her pillow, resisting the urge to hex Sirius into the next millennium.

A thin-nosed, grey-eyed, long-haired, irritatingly good-looking face came into her line of blurry vision. "I'm sorry, did I wake you?" Sirius' attempt at an innocent tone was a complete failure.

Lily forced her eyes to focus. "Just tell my why, why, _why_ you are yet _again_ at my bedside waking me up and keeping me from what is certainly a hard-earned right to sleep? Did you forget what happened the first time you had the audacity to waken me?"

Sirius grinned impudently. "I can tell you're feeling better, you're as wordy as normal – for you and Dumbledore's shared standards, anyway."

Her muscles groaned as she stretched. "Did I miss lunch?" she asked as she yawned, her hands reaching out.

He barked out a laugh. "Lunch and dinner, darling. It's morning - again."

Lily's eyes widened in disbelief; unfortunately, the bright sunlight that filled the room confirmed his words. She took in a deep breath, hoping to appreciate the mid-morning breeze… but she instead inhaled the most repugnant smell she had ever had the misfortune of experiencing.

_ Oh._

She sat up in bed, slowly moved her feet over the side of the bed, where she found a walking stick that she assumed had been left for her. Taking hold of it, she eased herself off the edge of the bed.

Sirius immediately rushed to her side. "And where do you think you're going?"

Lily swung at him with her walking stick. "Keep a distance or I'll damage your nose for life."

"Calm down there, pipsqueak."

Lily could tell that he was worried he'd have to fend off an escape attempt.

Lily sighed. "Don't worry, I'm not trying to make a run for it. I realize now that I wasn't quite myself last night. I think I rather tired and still ill." She grimaced as she headed toward the door that she assumed would lead to a bathroom. "I don't think I have to tell you that I absolutely must take a bath."

"No arguments there!" said Sirius, grinning as he left her bedroom.

Extremely self-consciously, she allowed Tessy to strip off her filthy, moldy, ripped, ragged, sweaty, and greasy robe, which was unceremoniously deposited it in the tin rubbish bin. Lily quickly used her wand to set it on fire. Tessy, a tiny smile on her face, put out the fire with her own magic.

_I don't care if I have to go naked for days_, Lily thought as Tessy helped her into the shower_, nothing could make me put those back on._

Tessy stepped back, closing the door. "Miss needs but to call out and Tessy will in there be in a dash!"

Thanking her, Lily gripped the handle bars on either side of the shower. She turned the water as hot as she could take it and stood under it, using her wand to blast streams of soap onto her body, washing away the worst of the grime that covered her. When she felt relatively clean, she turned off the shower key and stepped into the large tub that was adjacent to it.

Hours passed by in Lily's mind; she felt the hot water make the pressure in her shoulders ebb away. She lathered herself up thoroughly with the rose-scented soap, rinsed out completely, scrubbed up again, and rinsed once more. She had found some shampoo and conditioner – after using the shampoo twice, she allowed the conditioner to set in while she attended to the female ritual of depilation. _This is one thing I never thought I'd miss doing_, Lily thought, moving her wand slowly up and down her leg, achieving silky smoothness. After rinsing herself in hot water once more, Lily finally decided to get out.

Lily emerged from the bathtub, the mist billowing around her. Tessy was there, her eyes tightly shut, blindly holding out a hot white robe and a warm towel. She assisted Lily into the robe and then Lily wrapped the towel around her own head, which would have been well out of Tessy's reach.

There was a soft knock on the bathroom door.

"Yes?" she called, hurrying to dry off her face. After checking that her robe was fastened securely, she nodded to Tessy, who opened the door.

James stood in the doorway, dressed in simple but exquisitely cut black robes. He avoided looking at her in the eye. "I heard you were taking a shower, and knew you'd need new clothes."

Lily smiled faintly. "My robes have already been destroyed." James looked at Tessy, who bobbed her head up and down in emphatic confirmation.

James met her eyes briefly, but did not linger there. "The bath seems to have healed you a bit. You can stand up straight now."

"That and Gaeler's medicine."

He nodded absentmindedly, moving away from the doorway and into the bedroom. He indicated the large, handsomely carved walk-in closet. "Pick whatever fits."

And he headed out of the room. However, there was something in the way he was walking that caught Lily's attention.

Lily reached over and grabbed his shoulder turning him around. "Are you drunk?" she asked incredulously.

"Not yet." He shrugged his arm off her shoulder, and left the room.

"It's not even midday!"

James ignored her; Lily placed her hands on her hips as she watched his tall form leave the room. Shaking her head in disapproval (_these boys have become total alcoholics!_), she ignored Tessy's offered shoulder, dismissed her, and made her way to the dresser.

She was shocked at what she found. Not only was it full nearly to bursting with female garments; there was also every kind of clothing there possible – dress robes in multiple colours and fashions, ordinary working robes, Muggle clothing – including skirts, blouses, slinky dresses… Lily yanked open a large drawer and discovered that it was chock-full of lingerie, ranging from the ordinary to the downright macabre.

Lily took a step away from the dresser in awe, her mind spinning. _James couldn't have gotten all of this just for me, could he? So how the hell else did he get it?_

Her heart pounded as she remembered a headline she had read in Paris a couple of years ago.

..

**_ITALIAN FASHION DESIGNER NAILS BRITISH BOMBSHELL_**

**_LONDON, March 18. Marcelia D'Angelo, the heiress of the D'Angelo shipping fortune and the lead designer for the "Angela Mia" line, has finally brought someone home to meet the parents. The fashion designer has singled out none other than James Potter, heir to the diversified Potter fortune, to be that special man in her life, accepting his marriage proposal this Friday -_**

**_..  
_**

Having read enough, Lily had flung the magazine across the room.

Petunia, in a suspiciously rare show of attention, had mailed Lily a set of Muggle magazines from England, along with a box of Lily's favourite chocolates. Lily had been pleasantly surprised, until she had read the article and realized that this was why Petunia had taken the trouble. After all, her sister was not stupid – she had recognized James' name from when he had come for their parent's funeral. Naturally, James was so well connected, as was this fashion designer, that his upcoming nuptials had made headlines.

Lily picked up the magazine from the floor, and ripped the offending article. After reading the entire thing, she proceeded to rip in half, and in half again, over and over again until the article was nothing more than harmless confetti.

She had followed the case over the following weeks. Never one to purchase gossip magazines, she began obsessively seeking as many British tabloids as she could find in Paris. She had cried over descriptions of the dress, the location, and had given herself a full spa treatment when the news came out that the wedding was cancelled.

_A little ridiculous, I know, _she had thought about herself whenever she remembered what she had done. _But no one said getting over your first love is an easy thing._

And it was partly because of his engagement that Lily had allowed herself to start dating Edouard Renoir, reasoning with herself that if he had moved on, there was no reason why she shouldn't.

_Does he accumulate all this stuff from his ex-girlfriends?_ Lily wondered, her eyes narrowing as she surveyed the closet again, half-expecting to find a shirt D'Angelo had worn in one of the magazine pictures.

Her heart sank as she remembered the girl at the Welcoming Ball._ Does any of it belong to his current lover?  
_

Lily opened the lingerie drawer again, and was relieved to find a sealed package of normal underwear at the very back. She took this, along with a pair of jeans and an off-the-shoulder sweater, both so new Lily had to rip the Harrods tags out.

Scared about what she would see, she avoided the mirror, but brushed her hair back with a comb she had found on the dresser.

Leaning heavily on her walking stick, she left the room, heading for the library.

"Ah – _hic!_ – there you are!"

Sirius' face was illuminated by a smile when she opened the library door. "Red, I've been looking for you –_ hic! _– all over the place." He was sprawled out on the large leather sofa.

Lily just gave him a look, and glanced at the bottle on the table to his right. "That firewhiskey bottle is over half empty!" she cried out in alarm.

"Such nega_ti_vity." Sirius rolled his head back to look at her. "James would say it's half-full."

"Is that the same bottle as yesterday or a new one?" gasped Lily, " And where is he?"

Sirius examined his glass. "Does it matter?" The important thing is that bottle is soon to become empty." He reached out to pour himself some more.

Lily snatched the bottle out of his reach. "Tell me where James is first."

"I see you have your energy back," said Sirius, his eyes sliding in and out of focus as he attempted to look at her. "Can't say I like it much." He attempted to take the bottle back.

"Where is James?" repeated Lily, smacking his hand away, and then wished she hadn't been quite so vigorous – the blood rushing to her head reminded her that she was nowhere near full recovery. "And why isn't he drinking here with you tonight? Not that I like it either way, but at least it's safer if you have a buddy near."

"Definitely – I'll especially need his protection if you try to –_ hic!_ – hit on me."

"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard!" she yelled, and shook Sirius by the shoulders, cringing the whole time she moved him as the effort was consuming her little strength.

"Oh god," Sirius whispered urgently, "please stop!" he asked, his skin going rather green.

She did, and they both leaned back, panting slightly. He looked at her accusingly. "Next time that happens, I won't ask you to stop – I'll just projectile vomit all over you."

"If I hadn't stopped, I would have done the same to you," said Lily, leaning on her cane to help him to his feet. "Ugh, you certainly reek of the stuff," she added, turning her nose away from his alcoholic breath.

"You didn't exactly smell like a bunch of – _hic! _– roses when we found you."

Sirius was half-leaning on Lily, half allowing himself to be dragged as she led him back to his bedroom. As they made it to the hallway, Lily elbowed him in the ribs. "At least try to walk! I'm not feeling particularly muscular right now!"

Sirius straightened up slightly, but staggered when Lily released him. "I cannot believe you got yourself so aled-up – it's so early!" she commented moodily as she steered Sirius away from the china vases that decorated the antique tables in the hallway.

"Not ale, Reddie darling, firewhiskey... Lots of it – sweet elixir of life!" Sirius turned to her, his eyes plainly out of focus. "You look much better now, don't you."

Lily rolled her eyes, "I'd be surprised if I looked like anything to you other than a Picasso painting right now."

"Here I am trying to have a nice drunken time to keep things light, and there you go," said Sirius loudly, poking her on the collarbone for emphasis, "ruining things with all your intellec_tua_lity." And then he kept walking without her, leaning heavily on the wall for support instead, muttering as he went. "I mean, for god's sake, _Picasso_."

Lily followed him, although at a safe distance.

"Next thing you know," continued Sirius as he proceeded to round the corner, "you'll be discussing the Renaissance in Spanish."

"_El Renacimiento es una epoca demaciado complicada como para estarla discutiendo contigo_, Mr. Inebreation."

"I forgot you were a bloody _polyglot._" He let himself sink to the floor slowly.

"You make it sound like some rare disease."

"Isn't it?" asked Sirius sarcastically, grasping the edge of a table to hoist himself up; Lily grabbed his elbow and tried to lift him, but she found that she hadn't quite regained all of her strength yet – as it was, she was getting really tired. "Isn't it?" he repeated, his words slurring.

"It's not my fault other people don't speak more languages," protested Lily as they began to walk again.

"I speak the language of love, Red, love!" said Sirius, sinking back down to the floor. "If I spoke it to you - _hic!_ - you couldn't say no."

"Then I suggest you find somewhere else to speak it!" called a voice from a room at the end of the corridor.

Lily looked up and felt her heart beat speed up as she watched James move towards them.

"He speaks French too... and some others," slurred Sirius, straightening up against the wall. "See, you're not the only one with many tongues!"

"Who can _speak_ _in_ many tongues, Sirius – we're not serpents," she corrected rather snappishly.

Sirius was beyond reacting. In fact, James was unsure that his friend even understood the difference in syntax at this point. "Should you be up already?" he asked, instantly at her side and with the now-typical concern written all over his face.

"Well, I would have stayed on the sofa," answered Sirius, thinking the question had been intended for him, "were it not for darling Red."

Lily elbowed Sirius, and answered James' question. "I've slept for nearly twenty hours. I needed to walk around."

"Well, Red, you've found Thongs here," said Sirius, his voice getting thicker as the alcohol kept being absorbed into his bloodstream, "so I'm going to go find the bottom of my bottle." However, no sooner had he said the last word than did he promptly slumped over and slid to the ground, passed out.

Lily grabbed one of Sirius' arms and threw it around her shoulders. "You are ridiculous," she hissed at him, "stinking drunk – and it is not even one o'clock!"

James began laughing as he watched her begin to drag Sirius on his butt. Although Lily supposed that they did look rather funny, she was in no mood to be amused. Lily shot him a murderous look, and released Sirius to catch her breath, fighting to keep her eyes in focus.

"Are you okay?" After Lily had nodded yes, James immediately took over caring for their inebriated friend. He pulled his wand out of his pocket, and levitated Sirius into the bed they had arrived at. Lily watched as Sirius soared across the room, pausing slightly over the bed while the covers magically moved away. He slowly drifted onto the mattress and then the blankets softly covered his form.

Lily added the final touch – with a flick of her wand, the room was darkened by the closing of the window curtains.

Wordlessly, she walked out of the room, James following her. Anger surged through her body, but before she could get a grip on it, she felt herself drooping. Fortunately there was a chair near by so she let herself fall into it.

"Are you all right?" asked James, immediately concerned as he rushed to her side.

Lily looked up and glared at him. "I should probably be taking a slow walk, a restful one. Instead, I had to take care of _your_ drunk best friend. I suppose you were too drunk to help?"

"It was never my intention for you to have to carry Sirius –" began James, but Lily quickly cut him off

"Not to point out the obvious, but you _have_ been drinking."

James shot to his feet. "Don't," he said, pointing his finger at her, never raising his voice but allowing a harshness to his voice, "be so self-righteous. You have no right."

Lily met his glare with equal force. "I already told you I know that I can never repay you for what you did for me. I'm sorry about last night–"

"I'm not drunk! I had one mimosa with breakfast, which no normal person would have detected, except for you, Miss Bloodhound! I was exaggerating earlier when I said I planned on getting drunk – because I was just annoyed at you! And here you are, accusing me –" Suddenly James realized what she had been saying. "Wait. You're sorry?"

Lily cocked her head at him. "Well, I was, if you're finished yelling at me."

James nodded apologetically. "Do you want to talk?"

A smile played on the corner of her lips. "We already are."

Suddenly a loud voice yelled from inside the bedroom. "Yes, but he wants to do so with many _tongues_!" They then heard Sirius dissolve into manly giggles.

Lily bit her lip to keep from smiling as she watched the corner of James' ears change colour.

"Er... hold on a sec," he said, standing up, "I need to make sure he's unconscious… I mean, asleep."

Lily smirked as she watched him walk over to his friend and murmur something, his wand out.

Seconds later, he was back at her side. He offered her his arm, and she didn't hesitate to take it, as she felt the beginning of calluses forming on her hand from the cane.

_Lily, don't even start to over-analyze the significance of holding his hand again. There are no tingles on your hand, you are imagining them. _

* * *

It was Lily's first opportunity to really look at the interior of the manor; the day before she had been too exhausted to care, and earlier she had been too focused on Sirius to take it all in. But now that James was leading her around, she knew it would be worth her while to keep her eyes open.

"Lily," James began, but Lily shook her head.

"No serious things yet. Tell me about Ar Nurtalë instead."

James' face relaxed into an easy smile. "Where to begin?"

"Begin at the beginning."

James shook his head ruefully. "It'd take too long. This place is over a thousand years old." He noted the skeptical look she gave him. "Let me put it this way. The property is in the Doomsday Book."

"The Doomsday? William the Conqueror's survey of England?" asked Lily incredulously. She remembered from her one of her extensive readings that the Doomsday Book was the record of the great survey of England completed in 1086. Similar to a census, the survey was conducted because William needed information about the country he had just conquered so that he could administer it.

"Yes," answered James shortly, turning away to lead her down another hall – but not before Lily noticed that his nostrils were flared in annoyance.

Lily had to hide a smile._ Aw, he expected to be able to illuminate me – was I supposed to gasp audibly and have my eyes widen innocently as he educated me?_

_Sometimes, she is just too smart for her own good._ James shrugged, remembering how hard Lily was to impress. But then he smiled. _Knowing her history will only make her appreciate this place even more. _"It came into my family's possession around 1070. Although they had been seated in Hamshire from very early times –"

"Earlier than 1070?"

James smiled at her and pointed to a bent, twisted, and rusted shield that was placed on display and behind a thick layer of protective glass. "It belonged to my great, great, great… (and so on and so forth) grandfather, who was the Knight's Templar's wizard en residence."

"Oh."

Lily stared at the shield in complete fascination.

"My ancestors moved here when they were granted lands by Duke William of Normandy, for their distinguished service at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D."

Wordlessly, Lily allowed James to lead her into the main entrance area. Lily felt her head turning in all directions to take in the spaciousness of the stone room.

"Clearly, this is a latter-day expansion of the original entryway; however, it was only expanded, not redone in a newer style – the whole thing is still made of stone, with a few embellishments afforded by the Renaissance. Let me show you the exterior." James indicated the two humongous doors that formed the entryway. "I don't usually open those, but I want you to get the full effect–"

"I would have thought the ages would have made this wood rot," mentioned Lily as James leaned forward to open one of them.

"To the contrary – it petrifies it. These doors are more solid than the rock in this room." James suddenly stepped back from the doors. "Wait. Close your eyes."

"I don't think so, James."

Cringing, James now remembered that she had been blindfolded many times against her will during her imprisonment. "You can trust me."

After taking a deep breath, Lily nodded her reluctant agreement and closed her eyes.

He led her through the doorway, down the front steps, out about twenty metres before stopping, turning her back around to face the manor house. He took a step back so that he could watch her unshielded reactions. "Ok, open them."

Lily blinked, first in reaction to the afternoon sunlight, and then in disbelief.

_I knew his house would be big. I knew it would be rather rich. But this…_

"C'est très magnifique," she said finally, after taking it all in.

James grinned at her, his eyes sparkling in delight at her response.

"The first house on the site was a pélé tower built by the Redman family in around 990. Much of the present interior of the building dates from the Elizabethan era, when my family extended the house, adding the belfry, cross loops and crenellations. That part of my ancestry was responsible for the fine wood panelling and plasterwork in the main rooms – such as the one you are staying in. Further additions were made in the late 17th and early 19th centuries. That part is also well preserved, if I do say so myself, and contains fine antique furniture, oriental artifacts and painted ceilings."

Jame indicated a structure in the far distance. "That gatehouse was built by John de Haudlo in 1312 and is all that remains of Boarstall House, a fortified smaller house that was demolished in 1778."

With a jolt, Lily realized that all the land surrounding the manor house was also his. The lake that disappeared around the corner of the manor and into the woods, the woods themselves, the gardens that sprawled out in front of her. "It's huge."

"Seventy-five acres of landscaped parkland featuring two lakes, woodland walks and English gardens."

She felt herself falling in love with the property immediately, immediately desiring to explore the aforementioned woodland walks. _Attractive without being overwhelming. Noble without being cold and distant. _She found that she even preferred his naturally landscaped gardens to the manicured beauty of the renown gardens at Versailles.

James watched her take it all in, carefully observing how she was handling it know that she was finally coming to realize the exact extent of his family's affluence and wealth. He remembered that when he was younger – was it in their fifth year? – that he had tried anything and everything to impress her and make her like him. Played with the Snitch in front of her, bullied others around him, talked about his family, etc… and to his frustration, he had realized that none of it had worked.

And then he eventually realized the truth._ I didn't want to impress her._ _I wanted her to like me for me. Just me._

So he watched her, staying slightly behind her as she moved forward. And yet, to his great surprise and pleasure, she didn't make the comments most people did when they visited, such as: "How much is an acre here worth?" or "what's the value of the property now?" or, the very worst, "You know, you could get a lot of money by selling it." Those people only were concerned about monetary value, not the history of the place. _I mean, how could one ever sell the home that has been in one's family for centuries? _This was why James rarely invited people over to this home.

Lily was different. She looked around, her eyes and slight smile expressing her fond appreciation of Ar Nurtalë. _Ar Nurtalë_, James thought as he watched her, _'Noble Hiding'. I certainly wish it could be just that – a place where she and I can be, hidden away from everyone and everything._

Suddenly James knew that he just couldn't resist any more. Hands trembling slightly from emotions that James knew would be better to suppress, he reached for her, his arms wrapping around her from behind. He felt her tense slightly under his touch, then relax, and then - to both of their surprise - simply melt into his arms, her head resting below his shoulder the way it used to over three years before.

After a moment, she looked up at him slowly. "So, have I aged well?"

Although James knew that that was her signal to him that it was okay to begin talking about more serious things, to begin catching up on each other's lives. But James had other ideas in mind, and now that she had turned her head slightly to look up at him she was in a perfect position.

_I'm a gentleman. I'll give her plenty of time to pull away. _

As much as he wanted to - needed to - taste her lips once more, he would rather have no kiss than to steal one.

And so he locked eyes with her, and moved in a little closer. He watched her brilliant green eyes widen; James knew she knew what he was about to do and so he paused, giving her the chance to either pull away or slap him. When she did neither, he knew she wanted it as much as he did.

Lily, for her part, was captivated by the hazel embers that were his eyes. She tilted her head upwards slightly.

That was all the encouragement James needed. Without hesitating, he moved in slowly, so slowly, inexplicably shy and yet full of need at the same time.

And then he kissed her.

Softly, tenderly, barely daring to touch the flesh of her lips.

And she responded, one of her hands reaching back to curl around the back of his neck, drawing him closer, pressing his lips against hers, caressing his with hers.

He tightening his arms around her, wanting only more, pursuing the incredible sensation of kissing her.

_She is going to be the death of me._

And suddenly, their tender kiss gave way to a kiss of passion. Their tongues met and flirted. She moved her body against his, brushing against him in a way that lit a fire inside of James. His arms tightened around her as he brought her closer to him. He could feel her breasts press against him and his heart rate quickened; the heat of their kissing that was stealing his breath away. He ran one hand down to the slender curve of her back, and entwined the other in her wavy hair; she wrapped hers lightly around his waist, deepening their kiss.

And suddenly, like the end of a dream, James felt Lily pull away.

He opened his eyes, and from the stricken look on Lily's face, he knew that she was not being coy. She turned and moved a few steps away from him, but he caught up to her and yanked her around to face him. "What is it now? What other excuse to not do this are you going to come up with this time?" He reached out for her.

"You have a girlfriend," cried out Lily, smacking his hands away. "You can't just do this. You can't just reappear and expect to be part of my life again!"

"She and I broke up! The day you were kidnapped!" James raised his hands to his face in utter frustration. "And I seem to remember that you reappeared into my life first, '_Madeleine_'!" he shouted, becoming angry with desperation. "And right now - you kissed _me_ back! You wanted it as much as I did – what the hell is wrong with this? No - there _is _nothing wrong with what we just did, because we're meant to do this, meant to do this over and over again!"

"I– I–"

His eyes were burning into hers, the embers in his hazel eyes set ablaze. "I know I deserved your indifference when we were at Hogwarts, I was an arsewipe! But I persisted, no matter how harshly you put me in my place – no don't interrupt me, I know I deserved it! – and finally we came together in our seventh year. It was incredible, amazing. I fell for you, I even asked you _to marry me!_ But then you left. I should have resented you for that, for leaving when you should have stayed. But I _just couldn't_, no matter how much I wanted to, no matter how much others tried to get me to – But I JUST COULDN'T. I only wanted you back. Well, here you are Lily. _What do you want from me_?"

In spite of her inner strength and earlier resolve, Lily felt weaker than she had felt all day, and sank down to her knees, her jeans staining in the mud.

James stood where he was, overriding his instincts, which screamed at him to collect her off the ground, take her in his arms, and carry her back into the manor house. He wanted to immediately apologize for shouting at her. Yet, for once, he forced himself to wait for her to make the next move.

And when she did, he would have given anything to turn back time, and stop her from telling him the last thing in the world he wanted to hear.

"James," Lily forced out, "It's not like that at all. I'm engaged. To be married."

* * *

:(


	13. I've Just Seen a Face

A/N: Okay, how to begin... how about by apologizing for the nearly FOUR YEARS it has taken me to do this chapter? "I'm really, really, really sorry." In my defense, I did spend a bit of time revising previous chapters, fixing typos, tightening the story line a little, etc. BUT, still, wow, four years, I can't believe it's been that long... it makes me feel old, and I definitely do not like feeling old.

Thank you SO MUCH for those of you who wrote and encouraged me to finish and to everyone else who reviewed - I never would have continued were it not for you. And so, here is the next chapter, and I hope to update on a far more regular basis from now on.

Special note: as I was going over Chapter 12, I noticed (and it was also brought to my attention by MercuryReigh) that it was way too long. And so, I realized that the end of it actually fitted better at the beginning of this chapter. So, for those of you who read chapter 12 in the past few months, I'm so sorry, since it's now here... but for everyone else, it'll also serve as a refresher... since it has been FOUR YEARS. (So very truly sorry!)

And, since it's been so long, why keep you waiting with any more of my prattle? P

**

* * *

**

**THE BEWITCHMENT OF JAMES POTTER**

**Chapter 13: I've Just Seen a Face  
**

**

* * *

**

"She's ENGAGED!"

Hearing James announce his arrival, Sirius threw the magazine he was reading aside.

During the time James and Lily had spent touring the house and walking the grounds, Sirius had managed to somewhat sober up. He was now sitting in his room's balcony, enjoying the glass of freshly squeezed and chilled pumpkin juice Tessy had prepared for him as a hangover remedy.

"Where's the bloody firewhiskey?" demanded James, taking the seat next to him.

Sirius procured it - the little that remained anyway - along with a clean glass, and wordlessly handed it over to his best friend.

James proceeded to serve himself a generous helping. "She's _engaged_," he repeated with an absolutely disgusted look on his face, and then took a long swig of the whiskey.

"To be married?"

"Damn it, Padfoot, what other kind of engagement is there!" exploded James, hurling the bottle to the floor, where it shattered, spraying liquor and glass everywhere.

"Hey!" cried out Sirius, brushing a shard of glass off his robes. "Engaged to whom?"

"As if I stayed to ask while she ripped my heart out and trampled it on the sodding ground!"

Yet something in Sirius's expression caught James' eye. He watched Sirius' face go pale; his best friend's eyes diverted involuntarily and James followed his gaze to the magazine that lay crumpled.

Unsure of the connection yet sure that it would not be good, James leaped for the magazine before Sirius could stop him. Gripping it so hard he was tearing a page or two, he held it out to Sirius. "Show me."

Sirius cringed, but took the magazine and found the page he had been about to rip out and throw away except that he had been interrupted by James's arrival. "Here."

James smoothed out the page, and began to read.

_**HAVE YOU SEEN THIS WITCH?**_

Below the headline was a picture of Lily, taken perhaps a year ago, dressed in dark green dress robes that brought out the emerald hue of her eyes, her hair tied back elegantly, her ministry badge badge pinned on display.

And underneath that was some information about Lily, which James knew from his Auror experience was there so that more people would read the article and memorize the face instead of simply glancing at the picture and moving on.

_**Lily Evans**_

**Hogwarts Head Girl**

**Security Analyst at French Ministry of Magic**

**Engaged to Edouard Renoir**

**The Renoir Family Offers:**

**LARGE REWARD FOR INFORMATION!**

**LARGER REWARD FOR SAFE RETURN!**

"She's engaged to_ that wanker_?" A scream of fury erupted from James as he hurled the offending magazine off the balcony.

He then aimed his wand carefully and blasted the magazine to bits.

"What the HELL was she thinking? She chose that piece of MERDE over me? Why, of ALL the bloody wizards she could have dated–"

"Well, there is a bright side to all this," offered Sirius, his silky tone promising James that the offence would not go unpunished.

"HOW THE HELL IS THERE A BRIGHT SIDE?"

Sirius's mouth curved in to a smile that failed to reach his eyes. "Now you won't feel bad about breaking another man's heart when you get her back."

James immediately regretted yelling, and shook his head emphatically. "Padfoot, I can't chase after her. Not this time."

"You'll be fi – what's that on your neck?"

Instinctively, James moved to cover up his neck. Then, realising that there was no way it could be the mark of a rough kiss since Lily had given him none, James pulled his robe away, slightly off his shoulder, and saw it – an angry red line on his collarbone. Grimacing, he opened the top part of his robes, and ripped off the bandages. The cut was healing properly, but the angry red lines had spread across his chest and around to his back, as well as down his abdomen. "Oh, shit."

A noise to in the room behind them made them both jump, and James hastily rearranged his robes to hide them from view. "What?" yelled James angrily.

"Sir -" It was his butler, Rupert. "A Miss McKinnon is here to see you."

"Oh. Thanks. Send her in."

Rupert disappeared and before James knew it, Marlene was rushing into the room. "Show me the wound!"

James glanced at Sirius, who was gaping at Marlene, his lips parted. James instantly knew that his friend's feelings for the witch went far deeper than he was yet willing to admit. Shrugging, James opened his robes, displaying his upper body for inspection. Without even pausing to take in his semi-nude body (which slightly wounded James's vanity), she immediately attended the cut, applying an ointment that she had brought along. James observed her as she worked, and was dismayed to notice that the dark circles under her eyes had only deepened since they had last seen her.

"Do you know what it is yet?" asked Sirius, breaking the silence.

She shook her head no, and James could have sworn he saw a tear in her eyes. "I'm still working on it."

"Just don't work too hard," said James, wishing it were not partly his fault she was so tired.

She nodded vaguely, and finished re-bandaging the wound. She turned to Sirius; the yearning in her eyes was plain to James.

"Um, Marlene, you must be hungry," said Sirius, his face mirroring the emotions displayed on hers. "Shall we?"

James forced himself to look away as Sirius led her out of the room.

At least Sirius had the decency to wait until after they were out of my sight before kissing her.

_But why the hell can't things ever work out between Lily and I?_

He sighed, reliving the intimate moment they had shared that day, recalling the feel of her lips and the sensation of her body pressed against his, the love that had surged through him, and, although the gentleman in him didn't want to admit it, the arousal as well.

Renewed anger surged through him as he remembered whom she was engaged to, Renoir's pale, pointy-nosed aristocratic face looming in his mind's eye.

And yet, he knew what he had to do.

**

* * *

**

_**Dear Edouard,**_

Lily paused, hovering her quill over the parchment.

_What the heck am I supposed to say? 'Dear Edouard, I'm safe and I hope you are too. Don't worry; all is well. I've been rescued and hope to see you soon. Can't say where I am though, because they're probably still after me.'_

_Yeah, right. I am safe - for the time being. Of course I hope he is safe as well - duh. He will worry, and even though I have been rescued, it was by James Potter, my old flame, whom I kissed not two hours before writing this... whose house I am stuck at for the next foreseeable future..._

She shook her head and crumpled up the piece of paper.

_But you need to let him know you're alive. Can't you imagine how you would feel if you were in his position?_

Sighing, she pulled out a new piece of parchment and dipped her quill in black ink. And so she wrote:

_**Dear Edouard,**_

_**I'm safe and I hope you are too. Don't worry about me; all is well.**_

_**I've been rescued, and hope to see you soon. I will let you know more once it's safe.**_

_**Love,**_

_**Lily**_

Trying to ignore the intense guilt that pooled inside of her at not being able to tell him where she was, _for security reasons_, she told herself, she folded the parchment and tied it to the owl one of James's house-elves had provided. The message was admittedly beyond inadequate, but to explain everything that had happened to her in the horrible two months since she had been kidnapped was definitely too much to explain in a letter.

She opened the window and watched the owl take flight, wishing she too could get away.

**

* * *

**

That same afternoon, at almost the same moment, another letter was sent to the same recipient.

_**To Edouard Renoir,**_

_**I write you with excellent news. The British Ministry has rescued Lily Evans. She is currently recuperating at Potter Manor; you are most welcome to visit her here. She is too weak to leave at the moment, but you may be my guest here for as long as is necessary.**_

_**Please note - this information is of a sensitive nature. Please keep it confidential for the safety of the persons involved.**_

_**Regards,**_

_**James Potter**_

Instead of using owl post, James sent his message with his most trusted house-elf. While Lily's letter went unread as it would take some time to arrive, Tessy returned with a response to James' message within minutes.

_**To James Potter,**_

_**Too much to say at present.**_

_**Will accept your hospitality; expect to arrive tonight.**_

_**-E.R.**_

After reading the short message, James refolded and pocketed it. Taking a deep breath, he began walking down the hall, heading for Lily's room.

"Mate!"

Sirius stepped out of his room just as James passed by its door. Turning, James noticed that his friend's hair was damp from a recent shower; James could hear the water still running in the background.

"How's Marlene?" asked James, a slight edge to his voice.

Sirius ran a hand through his wet hair. "She's... well, you know," he grinned from ear to ear, "tired, probably."

James nodded. Since he knew his friend very well, he did know. He felt an overwhelming need to change the subject.

"Well, I don't mean to interrupt anything, but I've notified Edouard Renoir that Lily's here-"

"_You did WHAT_?"

"-and he's arriving tonight," continued James, wanting to finish saying the unpleasant sentence as soon as possible.

"What the hell?" cried out Sirius, throwing his hands in the air in exasperation, "I thought we were going to start planning how to break them up. What, now you prefer torturing yourself by watching them together?"

"He's her _fiancé_, for Merlin's sake," muttered James, a scowl crossing his face. "Telling him that she was here was the right thing to do."

"You and your damn nobility." Sirius shook his head slowly. "It may have been the _right_ thing to do, but that doesn't mean you_ had_ to do it."

"If the situation were reversed, if she were _my_ fiancée..." James's voice trailed off, as he felt a pang cross his chest.

"...you would want him to tell you," finished Sirius. "I get that mate. But this is a bloody messed-up situation. In addition to the Lily drama, we still don't know what to effing do about that dart. Not to be an arse, but you're really not looking well."

James sighed, leaning against the wall. "To be honest, I don't feel particularly well either."

"You know you can't keep that a secret from her anymore? There red lines on your neck are very visible."

James scratched at them lightly, and felt pricks of heat race up and down the angry red lines that he knew were crawling up his neck towards his right ear. "Damn it all. I need to stop by her room and tell her about Edouard. Help me come up with a good lie."

**

* * *

**

"_Poison ivy?_"

"Yes, well, after our_ lovely_ walk earlier today, I relaxed on a bed of grass in the forest... and it turns out that wasn't a great idea."

Lily narrowed her eyes at James, wishing he hadn't brought up the walk they had taken earlier that afternoon. Not only had they shared an utterly illicit kiss - in which she had been a willing participant - it had also been when she told him of her engagement. She couldn't tell which of the two he was teasing her about.

She stood looking directly into his eyes, which were at her eye level since he was leaning against the door frame. "I didn't think we had poison ivy in England. I thought it was indigenous to the Americas?"

Mentally cursing her intelligence, James shrugged and made a face of frustration. "Guess it's found its way over somehow. You know, like we gave them the smallpox."

"Right." Lily was not at all convinced, but she figured it was probably the outcome of a prank with Sirius. _You'd really think they'd grow out of it..._

"Anyway, I didn't come here to argue botany." James took a deep breath and closed his eyes, hating himself for saying what he was about to say. "I've contacted your... er... _fiancé _- yes, I know it's Edouard Renoir - and he's arriving here, tonight."

Lily didn't respond.

James opened his eyes and saw that she was staring at him, her green eyes full of inquiry.

He stood up slowly. "Look, I don't want to talk about it. I can't talk about it. But it was the right thing to do."

"James-"

"No, really," continued James, turning away. "I have no say in this. I've dated others; hell, I was engaged myself once, did you know? Our... business... should have been finished long ago."

He walked to the door, but turned back to say only one word: "Congratulations."

When the door shut behind James, Lily felt her heart pounding as if trying to free itself from her ribcage. She couldn't believe all that had happened in the past two hours.

She and James had kissed. She had told James about Edouard. And now, Edouard was coming to see her. Tonight.

_Oh my god._

She couldn't the amount of emotions swirling around in her head. Happiness, relief, guilt, concern, regret, and nausea floated around inside her in seemingly equal measures.

Before she could think, she grabbed her cane, leaped out of the chair, and rushed out of the room.

Arriving at the hall, she saw James leaning against a large wooden chest of drawers, breathing heavily.

Hearing her, he looked up and saw her concerned face.

"James, what's going on?" she demanded, hurrying over on her cane.

"Oh, it's nothing," said James, thinking quickly. "My asthma always acts up this time of year."

"_Asthma?_" repeated Lily incredulously and with more than a tinge of anger. "You don't _have_ asthma."

"I developed it a couple years ago."

Lily glared at him, her jaw set. "If you expect me to believe that-"

"I do, as it's the truth. Ask Marlene if you don't believe me."

"Marlene?" cried out Lily in surprise, "is she here?"

"Yes," said James, taking in another deep breath. "She'll come find you once she finishes... er... something important she was working on." James straightened up and crossed his arms, willing himself to stop wheezing. "Anyway. What did you want?"

Now that the subject had been changed to her, Lily hesitated, but found that the words she had been searching for in her mind earlier had somehow fallen into place. "Look, James, you're right. You moved on and so I did as well. I'm sorry about what happened today; I think we just got caught up in the strangeness of the moment. I mean, we pretty much hadn't seen each other in two years. I think we simply sort of forgot ourselves."

James swallowed, feeling a lump forming in his throat. "It felt like no time had passed, didn't it?"

Lily nodded, smiling faintly.

"But time has gone by," pointed out James quietly. "And now you're engaged. So, at the risk of making an arse of myself, I'm just going to say it. I loved you - no, don't interrupt," he said, holding up a hand, because he could see that she had been about to. "And now I know that I just never stopped. And because of that, I have to say that I think you could do far better than Edouard Renoir -" He paused to a smile slightly. "- and yes, by 'better,' I mean _me_. But you've made a choice, one that I will just have to find a way to live with. So don't apologise for what happened earlier. It wasn't your fault - I kissed you."

"But I kissed you back."

James's lips widened into a real smile that made his hazel eyes twinkle. "I know. But we can leave that little detail out, if you wish."

* * *

"You must be Eddie!"

James grimaced when he heard Sirius' fake cheerful tone. James had posted his best friend at the front door to await Edouard's arrival. James himself was waiting in the library, the door open so that he could listen.

_I'm not looking forward to this._

"It's Edouard, actually," replied a slightly accented male voice.

_Ugh. I'm really not looking forward to this!  
_

"Of course. And I'm Sirius. This way, then."

James heard the two sets of footsteps approaching the library and looked up from the book he was definitely not reading. "Renoir," he said, standing as that individual entered the room.

James took in the cornflower blue eyes, the long blond hair, and the designer midnight blue robes, and resisted the urge to throw them all out of his house.

"Potter." Edouard reached out, and James shook the offered hand; it took every mental fibre of his to keep himself from trying to crush it.

"Padfoot," said James, his eyes not leaving Edouard's, "go get her."

* * *

"Oh my god, Marlene, oh my god!"

"For Merlin's sake stop pacing, it's making me dizzy!"

Lily, after showering for the second time that day _(I swear that horrible dungeon smell is still leaking from my pores!)_, had dressed, dried her hair, and then entered her room - and had been thrilled to find her best friend waiting there for her. Lily had been very happy to see her friend alive and in one piece, considering that James and Sirius had left her behind. Although the danger was nowhere near over considering that Marlene was a Death Eater, Lily was nevertheless thrilled to have her confidante back, and had proceeded to tell Marlene everything that she had missed.

"Marlene, don't you get it? I kissed James back! And Edouard is arriving tonight!"

Marlene was lying on Lily's bed, lazily paging through a magazine she had confiscated from Sirius. "I can't believe he reads this garbage... Say, that's not a bad picture of you!"

"_I'm_ in the magazine?"

"You were all over the papers; I didn't know you made it into _OK Magazine_!"

Forgetting her present worries, Lily rushed over to her friend's side, and saw the missing person advertisement that, unbeknownst to her, James had also read earlier that day. She ran her fingers on the glossy print. "The Renoirs paid for this?"

Marlene raised an eyebrow. "I doubt the plural is correct. Most likely one particular Renoir paid for it."

"Oh my god." Lily leapt up again and resumed her pacing. "Do you realise this makes me the most vile creature that ever crawled on this earth? I mean, I doubt that ad would have ever been effective, but the point is - Edouard was looking for me. The man I'm going to marry was waiting for me! And what did I do? I-"

"-went and kissed James Potter," finished a male voice behind her.

Lily spun around and saw Sirius leaning casually against her room's doorway.

For his little input, he was immediately rewarded with piercing glares from both Lily and Marlene.

Noticing their looks, he instantly look abashed.

_That's interesting._

Lily had glared at him more times than a hippogriff had feathers, to absolutely no effect other than giving herself eye-aches. It must have been something about Marlene's glare that made him look so embarrassed. Lily could see he felt very awkward, and literally watched the cogs in his head search for a way to change the subject.

"So that's what you're wearing?" he asked Lily finally, stepping into the room.

Unfortunately, he seemed to have forgotten that that is the one thing no witch ever wants to hear.

Lily reached over and smacked him in the side. Hard. "What's wrong with what I'm wearing?" she snapped testily, looking down at her bell-bottomed jeans and white sweater.

"Hey!" said Sirius, rubbing himself. "I never said there was anything wrong with it!"

Marlene's eyes narrowed further. "What, would you prefer she wear a little cocktail dress and slinky heels?"

"No!" shouted Sirius immediately, his dark eyes widening. "I mean, I'm sure _James_ would, but not _me_, no way."

Lily fixed Sirius with another radiating look. "You'd better stop it with your insinuations, or you'll be very sorry."

She saw the corners of Sirius' lips twitch, and knew he wouldn't be able to help himself from saying something very stupid.

"What, '_your boyfriend's back, so I'm gonna be in trouble_?'" sang Sirius, irritatingly paraphrasing from a Muggle song that Lily particularly loathed. "_Hey-la... day-la... your boyfriend's back!_"

Lily pinched the bridge of her nose. "You realise I haven't had this many headaches since Hogwarts?" she said to Marlene, ignoring Sirius, who was now dancing as he continued singing the irritating tune.

"_And, he knows that you've been tryin'. And, he knows that you've been lyin'-"_

"And you know what was at Hogwarts?" shouted Lily over the singing, "THIS IDIOT!"

"Too bad you didn't do most of your schooling at Beauxbatons like me," murmured Marlene sympathetically, but Lily could see that her eyes were twinkling in amusement as she watched Sirius' antics.

_Oh no_, cursed Lily mentally as she watched her friend smile warmly at Sirius, _how did I not see that coming?_

* * *

"Would you like to sit down while we wait?" asked James, deciding to at least pretend to be a polite host. He indicated the leather couch that matched the chair in which he had been sitting.

"Very well."

After Edouard sat down, a very awkward silence ensued. The two men had not seen each other since their early teenage years, and probably could have gone without ever being in the same room again were it not for their current predicament. It wasn't so much that they had any particular reason to dislike each other; they simply just did. They thus avoided speaking, their uneasiness prolonging the silence.

Of course, James's sentiments went beyond simple uneasiness. Dismay, unhappiness, anger, jealousy, regret, guilt, and a helping of nausea sped through his thoughts as he peered at the wizard seated near him.

_How did you meet her? Why did you have to meet her? Of all the witches in France... why Lily? And why the HELL is she marrying YOU?_

"How is she?" asked Edouard, finally breaking the silence.

James turned to Edouard, and was surprised to see a shadow of doubt on the Frenchman's face.

_He's wondering why me - why did I have to be the one to rescue her? Why me, of all the wizards in England?_

James felt his mood brighten slightly. "She's doing very well, considering," he said, purposefully framing his response to be ambiguous.

He watched Edouard raise an eyebrow. "I can imagine," responded Edouard, examining a book on the coffee table to avoid meeting James's eyes, "that she has had the best care here."

James smiled slightly, unable to resist the urge to tease. "The very best." He saw Edouard's jaw muscles tighten, and thus continued. "You know we dated at Hogwarts, right?"

"She has told me, yes," muttered Edouard, his voice altered, which James assumed was due to clenched teeth.

And then suddenly, James saw Edouard's face relax. "But that is old history," said Edouard, reclining into the back of the couch. "Since you rescued her, you would honour us by being a distinguished guest at our June wedding."

James felt his blood begin to boil as the anger surged through his body at the Frenchman's words.

_Calm down. Do not give him this satisfaction._

His Auror training had taught him how to control physical displays of emotion, something that had always been beyond him in his youth. He put that training into practice at that moment.

"Touché," conceded James in what anyone but Sirius would think a nonchalant tone. "I didn't realise you two had set a date."

"We had not. But with all that has happened, the sooner the better, _n'est-ce pas_?"

James couldn't quite force himself to agree.

And before a response became necessary, he heard footsteps approach the library.

Resisting the strong need to vomit, James forced himself to breath in and face the moment James had been dreading since he had sent out his missive.

* * *

Lily rushed past Sirius and Marlene into the library. "Edouard!"

No matter what she had been through, no matter what had happened with James, she knew needed to see Edouard.

As soon as she stepped through the doorway, she saw Edouard stand, his dark blue robes elegantly cut to suit his frame. A broad smile appeared on his handsome face, and she let herself be surrounded by his outstretched arms.

After a few moments, she opened her eyes, and since he was only a couple of inches taller than her, she could see over his shoulder as he held her.

James was sitting in the library chair behind them. His face was chiselled stone, and remained expressionless even when he saw her look at him.

Lily closed her eyes again, feeling Edouard releasing her.

"We have much to talk about," started Edouard, keeping one hand on her arm, "I hear you are not yet well enough to leave this place?"

"That's part of it," answered Lily, shrugging, "I'm supposed to rest... and since the rescue mission was a top-secret operation, I'm supposed to lay low until further notice."

"Then why not go to my family's home in Bordeaux? It would be very private."

James once again suppressed the urge to retch. He couldn't think of anything he liked less than the idea Lily and Edouard having their privacy together on some magnificent French vineyard. "I'm afraid that's not possible," he said, standing up as well. "Orders from above, you understand. But as I said, you are welcome to stay here."

Edouard pulled Lily slightly closer. "And that is acceptable to you, darling?"

"I know it's not ideal," murmured Lily, trying to soften the situation for all involved, "but those are my orders."

Marlene stepped forward. "Edouard, it's good to see you again, and we're very glad you could come. I know the situation in France has been very difficult."

Edouard nodded, and his proud shoulders sagged. "I've started working at le Ministère as well, to help Madeleine. I'm in charge of the treasury department now."

"What happened to Monsieur Patis?" asked Lily, startled.

"Vanished." Noticing that both she and Marlene winced, he immediately apologised, "Je suis désolé. I forget to break such news gently; there has been so much of it."

"Don't worry," said Marlene, "we understand that. I think you two," she said, indicating Edouard and Lily, "need some time alone. And I need to show Black and Potter something for the Ministry. Okay?"

Lily nodded, grateful that she hadn't had to request to be alone with Edouard herself. She glanced at James, and received a cold look in return.

Edouard placed his other hand on Lily's cheek. "We do have a lot to talk about, _ma chérie_."

Wordlessly, James walked to the doorway, and was followed out by Marlene and Sirius.

* * *

"What the hell was that?" snapped Sirius to Marlene as soon as they were in the room to which James had unconsciously led them.

"What the hell was what?" repeated Marlene, her black eyes widening in alarm, not even looking around to appreciate the beautiful and spacious English kitchen.

"You, basically setting up Edward and Lily. Hoping to be a bridesmaid or something?"

"Padfoot-" began James, wanting more than nothing to end the conversation.

Marlene raised her eyes incredulously. "Um, did the part about them being engaged mean nothing to you?" Her Scottish brogue intensified along with her anger. "What exactly was I supposed to do? Stand there awkwardly and stare at them like you? Or would you like me to hex him into bat bogeys?"

"Just because you know Edward from France doesn't mean he's what's best for Lily. _James would die for her_. He's just too ill to defend what's his. And you still haven't been able to figure out what's wrong with him!"

"Sirius-" tried James, feeling his cheeks burn with embarrassment, but was again cut off.

"Oh really?" snapped Marlene angrily, putting her hands on her hips. "And why would you care about what's best for her? I know you often wished James weren't dating her back at Hogwarts. Stop pretending this is about her. It's about _him_. And I'll have you know that I spend every waking moment on that damned dart!"

"Oi!"

Even James' shout wasn't enough to interrupt the quarrel. He began to feel faint.

"So _what_ if it's about him?" shouted Sirius, slapping his hand down the heavy wooden countertops. "Excuse me for being loyal!"

"What's that supposed to mean!"

"IT MEANS... I don't know," finished Sirius lamely. He paused for a moment, ostensibly to think. "I think I was just frustrated."

"And you took it out on me?" inquired Marlene, breathing heavily, her cheeks slightly flushed from yelling.

"Basically. I'm sorry I was an arse."

Marlene smiled in spite of her previous anger. "It's fine. You're damned attractive when you yell - James!"

"What?" asked Sirius, completely confused until he watched her rush over to James, who was lying prone on the floor. "Prongs!"

Both of them now at James side, Marlene began feeling for his pulse, but Sirius had no time for such subtleties. He reached over, put a hand on each of James' shoulders, and began shaking his unconscious friend.

"James, mate!" he shouted, losing control of himself. "WAKE UP!"

"Stop it, you brute!" yelled Marlene, vainly trying to pry his hands off.

"Wake up Prongs, _come on_!"

"Stop it, he's breathing and his heart's beating!"

"_PLEASE BE ALIVE_!"

"Oh for Merlin's sake!" Marlene reached into her robes and pulled out her wand. "_Rennervate!_"

James eyes flew open; he vaguely understood that he was being violently shaken and then suddenly released. He awakened to see two close-up faces belonging to his best friend and Marlene.

"Prongs?" repeated the former, his voice breaking.

"Thank Merlin that worked!" he heard Marlene exclaim.

James blinked, trying to understand the situation. He definitely didn't feel well, and since he was lying on the kitchen floor, it was a safe assumption that he had fainted. What he couldn't figure out was why his face was wet.

"Is it raining or something?" he asked confusedly, looking up to see the ceiling. "Where did this water come from?" He reached up to wipe his face, and then suddenly understood. "Padfoot... mate... were you _crying_?"

Sirius straightened and stood up, rearranging his robes. "I may be slightly disappointed that you're alive, yes."

Marlene shook her head, and whispered into James' ear. "He was weeping like an old woman."

James rolled his eyes and raised himself onto his elbows. "Mate, you never made a big deal when I got knocked out by bludgers or fell off the broom." He tried to raise himself to stand, but his head spun and he found that he lacked the strength.

Marlene bit her lip. "This is definitely worse than a bludger. I think we need to call in the Healer again."

* * *

"_Bed rest! _Did you hear him? Bed rest 'until further notice'!" James slouched into his pillows, glaring at Marlene and Sirius as if they had shot the dart at him themselves. "And while I'm stuck here, that damned Frenchman is still in the library with her, getting his stinky cheese hands all over her!"

"He's actually quite the gentleman."

"Yeah, that's not helping me feel better Marlene." James grimaced as he pulled up his sleeves to examine the angry red lines that had also made their way down his arms to his hands.

Sirius was sitting on the bed next to his friend, staring at James' arms. "Remember what the Healer said? That they look almost parasitical, spreading like a plant's roots-"

"-and sucking the life out of me," finished James sharply. "Yeah, I got that."

"And the more you move, the faster it spreads-" continued Sirius, his voice straining with alarm.

"YES PADFOOT, I got that."

"That's it then," announced Marlene, rising from her seat next to the bed. "I need to go back there."

"No way!" shouted Sirius, jumping out of the bed. "There's absolutely no way I'm letting you-"

"_Letting_ me!'"

"Okay, that sounded wrong."

Marlene sighed. "I don't want me to go back to them either. But I need to figure out what's wrong with Ja..." her voice trailed off and her brows knitted together. "Ouch."

She pulled her robe sleeve up, revealing her Dark Mark. Unlike the previous time that James and Sirius had seen it, it was glowing furiously against her skin. "And that settles that. We Death Eaters have been summoned."

She put her hand on James' arm. "I meant what I said about not leaving this bed. I'm going to try to save your ungrateful life, so please do your part to rest and not die sooner." She turned to Sirius. "And you - give me a kiss."

James could see that his friend was more than happy to comply; they kissed for what seemed like hours to James.

"Goodbye, then."

* * *

Lily and Edouard talked for what was literally hours.

Side by side on the library leather couch, they had held each other while he filled her in on the attacks to the French Ministry, what was happening there now, how her friends there were, and especially whether or not they were alive. Edouard had wanted to know about her two months in captivity, but Lily had been unable to tell him much due to the ongoing security concerns.

"I do not understand why you cannot tell me!" he had exclaimed repeatedly, moving away from her slightly.

"I still haven't been officially debriefed," explained Lily for the fifth time. "And until then, I have a de facto gag order. I'm sorry," she said, putting her hand on his. "I can't talk about it to anyone, not even you."

He moved his hand away. "I need to know what happened to you."

"Whatever it was, Edouard, I'm fine now."

"I just need to know," he said, his blue eyes delving into hers.

"Why?"

"They didn't... you know... take an unfair advantage?"

Lily's eyes widened in shock when she understood what he meant. "Rape me, you mean? No, thank Merlin! But would that have made a difference to you?"

He sighed in immediate relief and pulled her close to him. "No, _ma chérie_, but it would have been difficult to think about."

"It was pretty horrible there," admitted Lily, "but really, Edouard, I'm fine now."

"Because Potter rescued you?" The frigidness in Edouard's tone was unmistakable.

Lily drew herself away from his grasp. "James rescued me because that was his _job._ As an _Auror._ It was a coincidence that we had dated."

"_C'est vrai?_"

"Yes, Edouard, really. But I have to be honest with you," she said, taking in a deep breath as she steeled herself to say what she had been meaning to tell him ever since they had come to be alone. "Earlier today, we kissed. And before you say anything-" continued Lily, her voice louder to keep him from interrupting, "I have to say that first of all, I am incredibly sorry that it ever happened. Second, it will never happen again. And third... I'm just really sorry."

"Wait a moment." Lily watched Edouard take a deep breath. "Did he kiss you or did you kiss him?"

"He kissed me - but to be really honest, I kissed him back."

"_Oui_, but that is only natural," snapped Edouard as he rose from the couch. "You were helpless, the damsel in distress, and so when he kissed you, you were swept away with the emotion-"

As much as she didn't want Edouard to be furious at her, she was not willing reduced to a helpless maiden. Lily stood as well. "It didn't exactly happen that way; we were already here-"

"It matters not!" announced Edouard angrily, heading toward the door. "He took advantage of you, and I shall make Potter regret the day he was born!"

"No Edouard!" Lily said, hurrying to intercept Edouard before he could leave the room. "It really wasn't like that, I forgot myself and I'm so sorry and -"

"There is no need to apologize, darling." He kissed her softly on the cheek. "It was not your fault. What could you have done, force him away?" He shook his head as if that were a ridiculous prospect.

"Actually, _yes!_"

"No, darling, do not worry. I will make this right."

"Edouard. This. Was. Not. James'. Fault." Her voice rose with each word.

Edouard smiled at her. "You are so cute when you get so angry."

Intensely resentful of being patronized, Lily was about to start screaming when footsteps announced someone's upcoming arrival.

Sure enough, a micro-second later, Sirius poked his head in the doorway.

"Problems in paradise?" he asked with mock concern.

Lily released upon him her most piercing glare.

"I must be mistaken," continued Sirius, grinning. "You look so happy together."

Lily's eyes narrowed. "You came here for us. What. Do. You. Want?"

"Just thought you'd want to know - Marlene's headed back to the Ministry, some emergency," he said. His face, his voice, and his demeanour were calm, but Lily knew him well enough to know something was going on. "She didn't want to interrupt you to say goodbye. And James had to run to check on his flat in London, as there were some attacks in the area, and will be staying the night there."

_What aren't you telling me?_ wondered Lily, watching Sirius suspiciously.

"Anyway, since the good host has had to attend other matters," continued Sirius, turning to Edouard. "I thought I'd show you to your room."

"My room?" inquired Edouard, puzzled. "But I thought... you understand." He motioned toward Lily; clearly he had expected to share a room with her.

"Ah!" said Sirius, as if the thought had never occurred to him. "Well, you have your own room as Lily's supposed to get the most rest possible. Due to her recuperation, she needs to take it easy."

Edouard's face turned red with embarrassment since Sirius' meaning was obvious. "I did not mean that we would be doing... er... anything that would interrupt her rest."

"And neither did I!" exclaimed Sirius, his eyes widening innocently. "I just assumed that there are many concerns - such as snoring, bathroom breaks... you know. And so, we have another guest room, a beautiful room at the end of the eastern wing."

"Well, at least we're in the same wing," said Lily.

* * *

After Edouard had been settled in his room, Lily had made an excuse about being tired. Although Edouard had wanted to lead personally lead her to her room, she had convinced him to stay and prepare for bed.

As soon as they were out the door and a certain distance down the hall, Lily pounced on Sirius. Catching him off-guard, she shoved him against the wall.

"What the fuck-"

"Shut up Black," she hissed, her eyes flashing. "I'm not stupid and I'm not useless. I'm a witch damn it, so tell me what is going on."

Sirius rolled his eyes and pushed her off, gently but with the necessary force. "I'm sorry if I seem off to you. I've been under a lot of stress, okay? It's not been a great past two months."

"I'm sorry," apologised Lily, the immense guilt that she still felt about having endangered her friends brimming inside of her. "I really am."

"You don't have to be," said Sirius, his tone serious but caring. "We wanted to rescue you. I wasn't trying to give you a hard time. I just wanted to explain why I'm not exactly myself. And now what with Edouard here... again, I'm not blaming you, I just worry about James. He's not just my best friend; he's my brother."

"I know," Lily hung her head, the guilt seizing her, no matter what Sirius said. "I know."

"May I lead you to bed, then?"

"Yes." Lily sighed, gripping her cane tightly. "I'm actually very tired."

* * *

Lily dressed for bed, her mind awake, but her body tired. Because she had known Sirius for so long, and because of her highly attuned intuition, she knew that Sirius had intentionally distracted her.

Testing her theory, she tip-toed over to the door and opened it a crack.

"Yes Miss?" cried a high-pitched voice on the other side. "You is needing something?"

Lily opened the door fully and saw Tessy standing there. As she watched, Tessy yawned widely, barely hiding it behind her hand.

"Ah, Tessy," sighed Lily, dismayed to see that the house-elf had been sent to stand watch at her door.

_Something is definitely up._

An idea crossed Lily's mind. "Er, yes, actually," she said, smiling. "Would you be kind enough to bring me some herbal tea?"

"Of course Miss!" Tessy disappeard with a loud crack; however, Lily knew she would be back shortly, and so went back to her bed. She got in the covers, and then opened the night strand's drawer to retrieve the small bottle Marlene had left in case Lily had trouble sleeping.

Sure enough, a knock at the door announced Tessy's quick return. Lily suspected she had been told not to stray from the room for long. "Come in!"

"Here you is, Miss!" cried Tessy, smiling as she placed the tea tray on the night stand and poured Lily a steaming cup.

"Thank you Tessy. Why don't you join me?"

Lily watched Tessy consider her invitation. Having tea with her would constitute keeping an eye on her, so why not do so?

"Oh, miss, it is my pleasure!"

Just when Tessy reached for the teapot to pour herself a glass, Lily let loose a scream, pointing at the window.

"What is it?" squeaked Tessy, rushing over to the window.

Quickly, Lily squeezed out three drops of the belladonna potion she held. Enough to knock out a house-elf for hours.

"Oh, nothing," said Lily, now that the task was complete. "I thought I saw a - a Grim. But I was wrong. Come and have your tea."

"A Grim!" cried out Tessy, ducking under the window sill. "Hide Miss! That big black dog predicts death!"

"No, no Tessy, it was just an oddly shaped tree. I'm sorry I scared you."

Tessy stood up slowly, and dusted off her prim apron. She walked back to Lily's bedside, finished pouring her cup, and began to daintily sip the tea. As Lily watched, the house-elf yawned, and her eyes began to droop. "Miss, I is tired..."

But before she could finish, she had fallen asleep. Lily reached out and caught the cup before it could tip and spill hot tea on Tessy.

_Right. That gives me... probably about six hours until she wakes up._

Lily fiddled with her wand and set a Timing Spell.

_I know I need to rest. Three hours, body. That's all you get, so make the most of it._

She sipped a tiny bit of the house-elf's potion, knowing it would be just enough to make her mind relax sufficiently to fall asleep, but not to keep her asleep.

And soon, she was as sound asleep as the Tessy - only without the loud snoring.

Lily tossed and turned in her sleep, her subconscious unable to relax, unwilling to let her forget. The belladonna loosed this dark reservoir of her mind, and accessed memories Lily had been drugged to forget.

* * *

_The Councillor reached out and grabbed her by the messy thick braid at the base of her neck. Pulling her to him, he brought her so close that she could feel the outline of his nose on her temple. "Listen, Mudblood, listen closely," he hissed into her ear, his breath hot on her skin. "I'm letting you live; I'm letting you go with them. But as for your old lover – as for James Potter..."_

_Chills went up and down Lily's spine as he spoke._

_"Mark my words. He won't live past the third day of your freedom."_

_And with that, he flung her back on to the bed like a rag doll._

_Lily screamed and tried to grab him, scratch him, bite him, punch him, anything, but he had moved away, and she was still chained and shackled._

_

* * *

_And then came a fainter memory.

It was a brief moment, a fleeting impression.

But nonetheless, she had seen it.

_The Councillor's eyes.  
_

They imprinted on her mind's eye.

And she recognized it as a pair of eyes she knew very well. Unmistakably well.

* * *

Lily awoke with a start. Her heart pounding, she sat up straight in her bed, the implications of her dreams making adrenaline race through her body, preparing her for what would come next.

_James was attacked. He had three days._

She counted and recounted, wanting to be sure yet hating where the numbers were pointing.

_Three days, tomorrow._

She leapt out of bed. After making sure that Tessy was still sound asleep, she lit the lamp. She rushed to the closet and quickly changed into black robes.

She raced back over to her night stand, where she had almost forgotten her wand.

_I'm definitely going to need this tonight._

She knew Sirius would be furious and that James' reaction would be indescribable, but she knew that there was absolutely no way they could come with her. James was clearly not well; not only had he looked awful that afternoon, the story about him being in London was definitely bogus.

_It's at a serious stage now, whatever it is._

There was no way she could tell Edouard, or he would not let her go.

_And it has to me._

_Because I know who Councilor Four is.  
_

_Because I know where he lives._

_And because I'm the only one who has even the slightest chance to convince him to help James._

After a final deep breath to calm her heart and steady her mind, Lily left the room.

Making her way silently through the manor house, she reached the front step. Raising her wand, she vanished into the damp cool night.

Moments later, she arrived at Spinner's End.

* * *

.

First of all, seriously, thank you so so so so much to everyone who reviewed. Even though for some of you my reply is now several years late, I hope you'll forgive me! And to those of you just joining in, please **review** :D let me know what you liked/disliked, _it's what keeps me going here!_

**jmd:** I think you wrote your emails when you reviewed, but I guess doesn't let those be posted or something because I couldn't see them! As you can see, I didn't quit the story :) Thank you so much for liking the story and reviewing!

**LisaMarie91:** Thanks reviewing and saying that you think it's such a nice story. I'm not at the ending - it's going to cover all three of the times Lily and James encountered and managed to thwart Voldemort! (at least that's the plan :)

**NeverQuitDreaming:** I love you fanfiction name; yay for us optimists! Thanks for saying that you love this story, it made me very, very happy!

**triplehotfudge :]** I'm so glad you liked this post-hogwarts fic! It's fun to write about, but as you can see, I'm also working on a little during-hogwarts fic, although this story is still my main focus... more room for my own ideas :)

**Cali surfer:** I definitely wanted to write more, so here I am. I'm getting there, I'm getting there, in terms of addressing the James issue... I really hope you like where this is going!

**mebmarker24:** That's right, I did say I was going to update... so here I am, one year after your review... finally stopped being a lazy bum and did it! Yessss! And as far as Lily's thoughts on James vs. Edouard... I think she's just very very conflicted at this point... and I have to say, if you're still reading this, that you're going to love the next chapter! (and by the way, thanks so much for thinking the story is fabulous!)

**aragorn is mine: **I absolutely LOVE your fanfiction name. But I have to say, it's wrong... because Aragorn is MINE... no?... okay, I guess you can have him *sulks*

No but seriously, I am updating, thanks SO MUCH for your words of encouragement!

**RubyMstar:** Okay, I am really really really sorry that I didn't update quickly. I hope you still like the story! Let me in on your thoughts!

**Kiley 1 09:** Oh wow! I'm so glad you got into this fic, and I'm so so very sorry it's taken me so long! Glad you though the kiss was well-written, I LOVED writing it! I mean, after 10 chapters, Lily and James finally kissing again? YAY! And about Edouard... well, you'll see where I'm going with that :)

**LILYJAMESFAN:** Thanks for the encouragement! Here it is, FINALLY. Hope you like it!

**Charley.H.T. xx:** Thank you for liking it :) I hope you're still into it and that you liked this update!

**InkblotTheDarking:** Yes, I will DEFINITELY keep writing the story, please let me know what you think of how it's going!

**Solarstone: **Yeah, Lily is kind of a bitch... but she's been through a lot, her emotions are all over the place, and she's quite frayed. She's angry at herself for kissing James, and is harboring a lot of guilt about having endangered her friends who saved her... it's complicated lol. Hope you didn't hate it though!

**Lady Knight Keladry:** It's not abandoned! But it definitely looked like it, right? I suck. I'm sorry :D Hope you like this, let me know!

**who cares?: **And so... years later... I have updated... Thank you so much for your review, I loved how you picked up on how James didn't want to have anyone but his actual wife at his family home, but was definitely okay with Lily being there... I liked that bit too and it's foreshadowing :) Hope you still like this story!

**R.L.:** I'm glad you liked the last chapter - hopefully you still like where the story is going!

**An Aspiring Author: **Sooooo glad you like this story! I have so much fun with it :) I can't wait for James to get back with Lily either, it's like I'm depriving myself with Edouard! lol Hope you're still reading and that you still like the story!

**MercuryReign:** Thanks for liking the chapter! And you're definitely right, chapter 12 was WAY too long... so as I mentioned at the beginning of this, I snipped a piece off the end of the previous one and moved it at the beginning of this one, where I realized that it truly belonged :) Thanks for liking this series and thanks for those very flattering comments about my writing!

**anonymous:** Lol, no I'm not DEAD, although I really should be by how long it's taken me to update... hopefully you're still reading, whoever you are :)

**twinklewind:** You spent the whole night reading the story? That's awesome! I've spend quite a few writing this, and I get so excited cause it's so much fun! Thanks for liking my plot and characterizations, I really do try to develop both. And, to answer your question, yes, there are less than 36 hours left for James! Hope you're still reading!

**picklezzz:** Thanks for liking the fic, I'm so sorry I didn't update soon!

**rajal:** Thanks so much for liking this story! I have so much fun writing it and I love reviews! Hopefully you're still reading and you like how this chapter went!

**Rhima Ohks:** I'm SO SO sorry it's taken this long... and I'm kinda sorry about the cliffhanger :) I gave you another one in this chapter, hope you don't hate me all over again (if you're still reading, that is, which I really hope you are!)

**Anna Flower:** I know it took me forever to update with Ch12... and now it's really been forever for Ch13! I'm so sorry, I guess 13 really is the unlucky number... I really hope you're still reading this and that you still like it!

**cosmopolitan:** Yay, thanks for the nice message! Hope you like this chapter and where the story is going! :)

**Elspeth Renee:** Yay, I loved your review! SO glad you like it, hope you're still reading. Let me know what you thought of this chappie!

**Opal Koboi and Emerald eyes:** I'm glad you still read last time it took me forever to update... and yeah, I cringe that it took me a long time this time... but now I'm soooo excited about the next chapter that I can't wait to get started! Hope this chapter was good, let me know what you thought (if you're still reading... hopefuly...)

**cerdinalz:** If you lost hope last time, I can't imagine how you feel this time... ahhhhh I am so so sorry! I hope you still read this and that you like what I've been up to :) I PROMISE it will not take this long next time... because I'm really excited about what's going to happen next, which means I'll be writing very soon ;)


	14. Don't Let Me Down

A/N: Hello! Okay, so it's taken me a little longer than I thought it would to post this.. but it's been much sooner than on previous occasions! Huzzah for small miracles! Anyway, I hope you like this chapter - let me know what you think! :)

* * *

**THE BEWITCHMENT OF JAMES POTTER**

**Chapter 14: Don't Let Me Down**

**

* * *

**

Spinner's End hadn't improved over the years.

Clutching her cloak tightly against her, Lily rushed past the dilapidated houses, barely registering their grimy windows and dirty bricks. Leaning heavily on her cane, she made her way up the broken cobblestone street to its very last house, all the while hoping no one was watching her.

Lily's heart pounded in her chest. Adrenaline and anger surged inside her as she recalled what _he_ had put her through for two months, as she replayed the pain she had felt, the insults _he _had hurled at her, the emotional torture _he _had caused.

_I could have been killed..._

_And it looks like James is on his way there._

Reaching the house at last, she peered through the corrugated gate that preceded the short path to the front door. A dim light flickered from behind the curtains on the first floor. She rested momentarily, considering her next move carefully.

_I definitely don't want to walk back into the snake's nest... I will not let him re-capture me again. _

Yet suddenly, her subconscious surfaced and put together details Lily had nearly forgotten, details that were incongruous with his stated intent to 'break' her. How_ h__e_ had checked her pulse and completely examined upon her arrival, how _he_ had tended to her wounds, how_ he_ had been determined to be the only one in charge of her. As despicable as the experience had been, she knew it would have been infinitely worse at the hands of someone truly sadistic.

_Not to mention how it had ended... _he_ let me escape._

Instead of revealing James' and Sirius' identity, he had allowed them full access, and he had let them leave with her. She knew what that would have cost him, to allow his enemies appear to have successfully deceived him, to appear to have emerged victorious over him once again. It would have been utterly humiliating to watch her leave in James' arms.

_So he had exacted a terrible price._

He had chosen retribution, mortally wounding the person that he loathed the most. Avenging past wrongs. Administering punishment at last.

_But had he also been seeking to punish _me_?_

Standing at the house she hadn't been near since the early Hogwarts years, Lily knew what she had to do.

_Even if he helped me, that still doesn't excuse what he did; what he is... a Death Eater._

She took a final breath and opened the front gate. It screeched forward on rusted hinges, noisily protesting its way across the brick path.

_So much for the stealth approach. _

Lily had barely crossed the yard when she heard a loud click; the front door flew open, and dark figure appeared in the doorway.

A ball of light sparkled into existence at his wand tip. A pale face marked by a hooked nose was now looking back at her. A slight flicker in the depths of the hollow black eyes were the only indication of surprise. Then his face changed, and Lily read resignation, acknowledgement.

"Severus," she said simply.

_He_ moved aside wordlessly, his eyes holding hers as she stepped inside.

* * *

"Awake!"

"..."

"Potter, you must wake up_ immediately_!"

"Go to hell..."

"WAKE UP!"

"_WHAT!_"

James' eyes flew open and he sat up straight in bed, his wand hand armed and ready.

Standing before him he saw a lit wand; holding it was none other than a dressing gown-clad Edouard Renoir.

"_What the hell do you want?_" snapped James, not lowering his wand. "Is the guest bedroom just not to your fancy? If that's so, I don't give a sh-"

"She's gone!" shouted Renoir, and James' heart started pounding in his chest. He could tell by Edouard's frantic expression exactly who he meant by 'she.'

"_WHAT!_"

James leapt out of the bed, but his legs buckled under him and he crumpled to the floor.

_Oh bloody fucking hell_. "PADFOOT! GET HERE _NOW!_"

James tried to get up, but couldn't get his legs to muster the strength to raise him to his feet. Stuffing his wand into his robes, he reached for the bed frame and used it to pull himself to a sitting position.

_Oh shit._

"What is wrong with you?" asked Renoir exasperatedly.

"None of your damn business!" he shouted, trying to keep the desperation from his voice. "PADFOOT!"

_"Ton visage!"_ exclaimed Renoir in alarm, creeping closer and moving his wand light closer to James' face.

James shoved Edouard's hand. "I said get the hell away from me." He ran a hand across his face and felt the painfully familiar red welts stretching from his right cheek up to his eye.

_It's still spreading. I'm getting worse.  
_

"James!" cried Sirius, running into the room shirtless, his wand at ready. "What is it?"

"Lily!" shouted James. "Renoir says she's gone - d'you know anything?"

"Of course not!" shouted Sirius. "Mate - can you not stand up?"

"NO, I'M LYING HERE FOR MY HEALTH!"

Sirius bent over beside James, and pulled him up by the armpits and then pushed him back onto the bed. "Don't go anywhere; I'll go have a look at her room."

"You should be hexed for the worst ironic joke in the history of the world!" bellowed James as his best friend ran out of the room. He turned to Edouard. "Tell me what you saw."

Edouard spread his arms in exasperation. "What is there to say? I went in to check on her and she was not there!"

"What else?" asked James, breathing heavily.

"What do you mean what_ else_? She was not there!"

"Was there any sign of a struggle?" snapped James impatiently, his Auror training kicking in, "A broken window, knocked over furniture? Or anything strange?"

"I do not know!" cried Edouard, "As soon as I saw she was not there, I briefly searched for her in other rooms and then came straight here."

James squeezed his eyes shut and ran his fingers through his hair, resisting the urge to rip it all out. "Clearly, something's wrong," he said, his words clipped, "or she wouldn't have just left."

Sirius re-appeared in the doorway. "She's definitely not in her room. No sign of a struggle, just one drugged house-elf."

"_What?" _cried out James and Edouard in unison.

"Well, I asked Tessy to stay at the door," said Sirius, shrugging. "Lily had asked a lot of questions about you James, and I wasn't sure she was buying that everything was honky-dory. She must have slipped Tessy something; there was a tea set there."

"You suspected something?" cried Edouard, his face livid. "And you sent a _house-elf _to stand guard? This is absolutely ridiculous, I knew I should have brought guards!"

"She left on her _own_," pointed out Sirius, his eyes narrowed at the accusation of incompetence, "which means she wasn't taken. And Lily's brilliant - if she could drug a house-elf, she could dupe any bloody henchmen of yours."

"If she left," said James, his face paling, "something must be very wrong."

"She must have found out about how you were poisoned," said Sirius, his expression now grave, his eyes taking in the red lines on James' face. "If she figured it out, she would have tried to help at any cost."

"_That is ridiculous_!" hissed Edouard. "Why would she risk anything for_ him_?"

Sirius raised his eyebrows. "D'you really want me to answer that?"

"I do not like your tone!" shouted Edouard, taking a step towards Sirius.

"Look, Eddie, you're a top-notch fellow," said Sirius, his hands on his hips, "but not even you can compete with what they've got together."

"Stop it, Padfoot," whispered James, stricken. "That's not it. She feels like she owes me, thinks that she caused this... she must have deduced that I was attacked when we rescued her."

"Prongs, you are once again being delusional about her - only this time, instead of being big-headed, you're afflicted with equally stupid humility!"

James shook his head. "No, she's made her decision."

"Really?" asked Sirius silkily. "Was this before or after she kissed you yesterday?"

Edouard brandished his wand. _"_HOW _DARE_ YOU_!"_

"_Protego!_" shouted James, placing a Shield Charm between them before Edouard's curse could hit his target. He pointed his wand at Edouard threateningly. "I know he was being an _arse-_" he shot Sirius a dirty look "-but if you threaten my best friend again, I won't hesitate to hex you."

Sirius had also pulled out his wand and kept it trained on Edouard as he addressed James. "Look mate, I'll go see if Marlene's at the London flat. See if she's heard from Lily."

James nodded.

"I'll be back as quickly as I can, Prongs," continued Sirius. "Bye, Eddie."

With a small _pop_, Sirius Disapparated from the bedroom.

Edouard turned to James. "If he is going to London, I will go to Paris, see if she has gone back to her apartment or to any of her friends there."

"Lily's not stupid, she knows the Death Eaters will be watching her flat-"

"With all due respect, Potter," murmured Edouard in a calm, yet exceedingly patronising tone, "you do seem to overestimate her abilities - she did get herself captured, remember?"

"I was there, there was nothing she could have done-"

"Precisely - _you_ were there. Do forgive me if I don't overestimate your abilities either."

James felt a surge of anger course through his body - an incendiary mix of rage and shame caused by the personal responsibility he had felt since the day she had been taken.

"I got her _back_, didn't I?" James spat, his face reddened, "and how successful were _your_ attempts? Oh, right, you only _bought magazine advertisements_!"

Edouard's face turned a livid pink. "I did what I could! Now-"

"Don't you dare leave-"

"You cannot stop me, not with your present predicament!"

Fury welled inside of James; he aimed his wand carefully. "_Petrificus totalus!"_

A tiny _pop _echoed in the room, and a smell of singe reached James' nostrils.

James sighed.

His aim hadn't been accurate enough for his curse to effectively paralyse Edouard and prevent him from completely Disapparating.

However, he had managed to keep a _part_ of Edouard behind.

James snorted as his eyes noticed the tufts of blonde hair as they fell to the floor where Edouard had been standing.

He then wrinkled his nose at the burned hair smell.

"Minio!"

With a loud _crack!_, James' house-elf arrived at his master's bedroom. "Master?"

"Go to Lily's room, please, and revive Tessy. Then I need you to run an errand for me."

James sighed, feeling his anger at Edouard ebb away and be supplanted with a gnawing concern for Lily. It was a feeling that had been eating away at him during her capture, a stomach-twisting fear he had hoped to never feel again.

And, for the first time, he felt concerned about his own survival.

* * *

Lily followed Severus Snape into the tiny main parlour.

Its walls were lined with well-worn books, and its wooden furniture was sparse. Ignoring the powerful feeling of claustrophobia, Lily obeyed Severus' hand gesture and sat down at the well-worn chair indicated. Severus took the one across from her; Lily could feel his eyes on her, searching.

_He's debating how much I know. _

Lily's emerald eyes meet his dark ones with fierce determination. "You know why I'm here."

"I'm not entirely sure what you mean." His eyes were wide; his gaze felt penetrating.

Suddenly, Lily realised what he was doing. "Stop it!" she ordered, breaking the connection of their eyes. "I'm may not be a good Occlumens, but I'm stellar at charms, so don't provoke me!"

"I believe you were the one who came to find me."

"I didn't come here to play mind games," stated Lily, her jaw tightening. "You don't need to read my mind to figure out that I'm here because I know it was you, you who kept me captive-"

"_Me?_" Severus leapt to his feet, pretences forgotten. "It is_ I_ who kept you _alive_, _I _who convinced the Dark Lord to place you in _my_ care, under _my_ supervision!"

"We were friends, Severus!" cried Lily, standing as well. "_Best _friends, remember? Yet you let me rot in that hellhole!"

"I never left that place either," protested Severus sullenly, scowling as he stared at the floor. "Not once, not while you were still there. I couldn't risk what one if _them_ might have done if you were there alone, left unprotected."

"You - you forced me to tell you_ everything,_" cried Lily, fighting back tears, "you read my every memory, you even _hit_ me, you -"

"I had to!" hissed Severus, his sallow face contorted with frustration as he stared at her now. "Don't you understand?_ They couldn't know! _I couldn't give you preferential treatment - not with the Dark Lord skills at Legilimency! He had to believe I was doing actual experiments!"

Lily's eyes narrowed with incredulity. "How _dare_ you expect that to absolve you! You chose to associate with that _monster_ and his brainwashed followers! You're one of _them_, Councillor Four!"

"I helped you _escape_-"

With all her might, Lily slapped him across the face.

He staggered back, clutching at his burning cheek.

"HOW DARE YOU!" shouted Lily, rubbing her aching hand, "You only _let _me escape when it was at the lowest possible risk to you, when your own precious neck wasn't at stake! And then you attacked James, you gave him Merlin-knows-what-poison-"

"So that's it then?" hissed Severus, "That's why you're here? _Him?"_

"Why else would I have come?" returned Lily, her voice ice cold.

"To kill me."

"What?" cried Lily, anger instantly replaced by shock.

Severus smiled mirthlessly. "I always thought that if you ever found out the truth, you wouldn't hesitate to point that mighty little wand of yours straight at my heart."

Lily took a step forward. "You can't be serious."

Severus spread his arms wide; neither was armed. "If I were the melodramatic type, I'd say 'put me out of my misery.'"

Lily closed the distance between them. She looked straight into the canyons of his dark eyes, seeking the friend she had once known.

He didn't blink, daring her to take aim.

Instead, Lily lowered her wand, not breaking their eye contact.

As he gazed back at her, the memories came flooding back. She remembered meeting him, odd boy that he was that day with Petunia, remembered him teaching her the basics of the wizarding word when she was worried about how she, a Muggle-born, would fit in. She remembered the friendship that had later blossomed and solidified during their school years... until the awful day that Severus had uttered that single word. _Mudblood._

Saddened by the recollections of what they had lost, what they had ruined, Lily decided to try to explain. "I forgave you for what you said that day at Hogwarts, you know, soon after it happened."

"That's not how it seemed," whispered Severus bitterly. "I even _begged_."

"What I couldn't forgive was the rest of it," said Lily softly, "The Dark Arts, the Dark Lord... why, Severus? Why are they so appealing to you?"

Severus stood wordless, and his eyes broke away from hers.

Unwilling to back down, Lily reached out and, before he could move away, she took his hand.

He tensed immediately.

"It's just me," she murmured, and put her arms around him, embracing him.

She felt him relax slightly, felt his warm breath on her neck as he exhaled. The, his back and ribs expanded in her grasp as he breathed in deeply.

_Inhaling my scent._

She dropped her arms, sorrowfully releasing him.

"Still, Severus?" she asked, "after all this time?"

"_You knew?_" he hissed, leaping away as if stung.

She smiled sadly. "It took me a while."

"Smart witch like you?"

"_Blind_ witch like me."

Severus shook his head, his dark hair rippling in the candlelight. "I'm not blind. You're engaged to another wizard, it's been in every bloody paper in Europe. May I take advantage of this little reunion to say that your tastes have not improved at all? Yet another pompous, arrogant, rich son of a bitch who-"

"Yes, I seem to remember you saying quite a bit about that, _Councillor Four_," said Lily, her face flushing with anger. "How I depend on strong, powerful and rich men to help me, since I'm a talentless Mudblood."

Severus' stared at her. "You have to believe I didn't mean that."

"Death Eaters have very little credibility these days," snapped Lily.

"Be that as it may," continued Severus, his skin paler than she had ever seen it, "despite this - this _engagement_," he spat out the word as if it burned to say, "your true feelings are unmistakably transparent. You're still in love with _him_."

"You may not be blind, Severus, but that still doesn't mean you're seeing clearly-"

"And as for _him_," interrupted Severus, his face full of revulsion, "_He's_ still in love with you, do you realize that?"

Lily swallowed hard, unsure of what to say, not wanting to explain. Her eyes silently implored him to understand.

He stared back into hers, the doors to her mind now open.

"You - you kissed him yesterday?" he cried out suddenly, his eyes blazing with fury.

Lily gasped and then shut her eyes immediately. "How dare you invade my thoughts again! Was two months of unhindered access not enough for you?"

"NO!" shouted Severus, "It was _I_ who wasn't enough for _you_! You chose _him_, that arrogant bastard, over me!"

"it was _you_ who made the decision for me!" exclaimed Lily, her voice breaking, "as it was you who chose Dark magic and You-Know-Who over me in Hogwarts... and you chose them over me again two months ago!"

"Don't! Don't you dare blame me! This is all Potter's-"

"Stop it!" she snapped, raising her wand once again. "You abandoned me by choosing to follow the Dark Lord's path. James did the exact opposite - he changed his path in order to meet mine!"

"_I saved you_-"

"NO! _James_ did! You just stood aside - and then shot him in the back!"

"Actually," smirked Severus, "I hit him face-on."

"I wonder why can't I remember that correctly? Oh, right, because you had drugged me again!" shouted Lily, her voice inflected with terrible sarcasm.

Severus winced, and Lily could see that her words' aim had been true. She closed her eyes. "I'm sorry. I don't want to do this anymore. I don't want to fight with you." She opened them again, the emeralds sparkling. "I want my friend back. I want you to stop being a Death Eater."

"That's not going to happen," hissed Severus. "It's not a club you can just quit."

"Well, then, you have another decision to make."

"Truly? And what is that?"

"Either you give me the cure for whatever James has-"

"Out of the question!"

"Then you give me no choice. _Incarcerous!"_ Before Severus could pull out his wand, she had wielded hers. Magical ropes sprung from her wand tip and wrapped around his form. Using her wand, she Levitated him to the chair he had occupied earlier.

"I'll take that," she said, reaching into his robes' pocket to remove his wand.

"What are you doing?" demanded Severus, his face incredulous; he knew struggling against the restraints would be futile.

"Either you give me the cure or I'll turn you in to the Ministry."

"And what would _that _accomplish?" hissed Severus, "your precious Potter will be rotting in his grave long before I'm convicted!"

"Then make the right decision for once!" clipped Lily, her wand trained on him.

Severus' eyes glowed with anger. "Untie me."

"Like you untied me, Severus?"

She watched the fury in his eyes subside and be replaced momentarily with guilt. "I couldn't-" he began, but Lily cut him off.

"You _could_ have. You made the wrong decision then. Make the right one now."

"But it's _him_-"

"I know, Severus. James was absolutely atrocious. But h_e did_ change, eventually, in the right ways. And because he changed, I changed my mind about him."

"I do not wish to hear this!" hissed Severus, his eyes blazing. "I will not - I _cannot_ - help, not this time, NOT _HIM_!"

"I'm not like You-Know-Who, Severus," said Lily despondently. "I don't want to force you to do anything... haven't you realised, this whole time, that the whole point is that I want you to _want_ to do the right thing?"

Sighing, she flicked her wand, and the ropes vanished. Severus kept his eyes on her, alert.

Lily examined his wand. As she twirled it, it sprouted a perfect water lily. She placed it and the wand on the coffee table between them. "Please don't curse me in the back with this."

She straightened her robes and turned to leave.

"Wait!" he shouted, springing to his feet.

Lily turned toward him again, and was surprised to see he had made no move to pick up his wand.

"Please." His voice turned pleading as his shoulders drooped. His eyes connected hers, boring into her. "Don't leave, Lily. Not yet."

"If you're not willing to renounce the Death Eaters, then the only thing I want from you is the cure."

"Then I'll do it," he said, his eyes unreadable. "Not for _him_. For you."

* * *

Two small _pops! _announced Sirius and Marlene's arrival.

"James!"

They hurried over to his bedside.

"I'm so sorry!" said Marlene, wiping away the tears spilling from her eyes. "I couldn't identify the poison, nor an antidote! And I have_ no idea_ where Lily could be!"

Sirius' face was beyond description. He placed a hand on James arm. "Just... keep taking it easy. Maybe that healer - Gaeler - can do something?"

Marlene shook her head no, her lower lip trembling. "He needed to know what it was, and_ I just don't know! _I've never even heard of its symptoms, it's like someone's just _invented _it!"

A doorbell rang in the distance; James knew Tessy had completed her task, and Rupert would welcome in the person he had summoned. Sure enough, a knock at his bedroom door moments later let him know that his solicitor had arrived.

"May I have a few moments?" asked James, cringing at the thought of what needed to be done. "I need to take care of a few things... in case things don't go so well."

Thirty minutes later, James' solicitor had left, and Marlene and Sirius were in chairs, still at James' bedside. James' four house-elves were sitting on a couch just inside the door, comforting each other as they sobbed into their aprons.

_I want everything in order, just in case._

"So let me guess this straight - you die, and I still don't get your antique broomstick collection?"

Marlene gave Sirius a piercing glare. "You think this is funny? How can you_ possibly_ feel like joking at a time like this?"

Sirius pointed his thumb in Marlene's direction. "As if you were_ her _bloody best friend!"

James rolled his eyes and tried to relax in his pillow; it had been unnerving as it had been to write and sign his last will and testament. And he far preferred Sirius' weak attempts at humour to Marlene's guilt-ridden stony face and certainly in comparison to the weeping willows that his house elves had become.

"But thanks, though, for the "half of my fortune goes to Sirius Black" thing. That was rather nice of you," continued Sirius nonchalantly, "Now, about those shrunken heads your great-grandfather brought back from Peru, what the hell mate!" cried Sirius huffily, "The British Museum will just let them collect dust on some boring shelf. Now, in my hands-"

"_Swear to Merlin_-"

Marlene's shriek was cut off by a loud pop as Remus Lupin appeared in the doorway.

"Was that your solicitor leaving?" inquired Remus confusedly.

"Yes," replied James in a resigned tone.

"It must be serious!" said Remus, rushing over to James' side.

"As serious as death and taxes," muttered James. "Turns out, dying is a lot more complicated when you don't have an heir. An_ heir_, for Merlin's sake! Remember when I was too young to worry about heirs?"

"Or too healthy, rather?" offered Remus nonchalantly.

"Glad my death is funny to you, Moony."

Remus smiled back at him, then sobered. "James, I've asked around, but no one seems to know where Lily is."

James closed his eyes. Unbelievably, her face preoccupied his thoughts far more than concerns of his own demise.

Another, louder _pop!_ drew their attention to the doorway once again.

"You on your deathbed or something, Prongs?" joked Peter Pettigrew as he entered, nodding at the crying house-elves.

"Oh dear Merlin," snapped Marlene, "England's villages must have put me in charge of their idiots tonight!"

Peter skidded on something as he made his way across the room. "Whoa!"

"Watch yourself Wormtail!" shouted Sirius, preventing Peter from catching himself on James' lower leg.

"What the hell is this_?_" cried out Peter, bending over. He straightened up, clutching a tuft of Edouard Renoir's blonde hair in his pudgy fist. "Prongs? An explanation?"

James grinned as he eased into his pillow. "Long story, mate."

He started to drift into a tired nap, visions of a bald Edoard Renoir filling his mind's eye.

_Wonder what Lily will think of him now!_

With a pang, James jolted awake. _LILY!_

"What the hell are you guys _doing _here?" he shouted, glaring at his friends as if noticing them for the first time. "You need to be out looking for her! I would be, but I - I" his voice caught, "well, I can't, so I need you to do it for me."

"We need to be here for you -" began Remus, but was cut off by James.

"Sod that! Be here for me, for what? Watch me pee in a chamber pot? No thanks! What I need is for you to find her - she's still not well, and she could be in danger!"

"Where can we even begin?" asked Peter, holding out his hands in puzzlement.

"Pretend we're looking for one of our fugitive wizards," said James, turning to Sirius. "What are her known associates, known friends?"

"Most of them are here in this room," pointed out Sirius, nodding at Marlene. "I mean, there's Madeleine Le Vau, but she's in France, as are most of Lily's current friends. And she wouldn't have endangered them by going there. And she had a few other friends at Hogwarts, but no one she was particularly close to..."

"Except..." began Remus, but his voice trailed off as well.

James' eyebrows knitted together and his hazel eyes darkened. "You're not suggesting-"

"He's the only other real friend she had," muttered Peter.

"As disturbing as the thought may be," said Sirius haltingly, "it makes sense."

"For crying out loud!" shouted Marlene, patience long lost. "Who are you talking about?"

_"Snivellus,"_ spat James darkly. "Great. The end of my life just keeps getting better and better."

* * *

Replies to reviewers:**_ Thanks soooo much you guys!_**

**Lottie** - Thanks for the positive review! Hope this was soon enough for you ;) What did you think of it?

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**Lolua -** Hi again! Thanks so much for the careful re-read :) I'm also looking forward to resolving the different story lines - I never thought I'd have so many pages of outlines and notes for a fanfic!

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**purpleroxs97** - I know right, can you BELIEVE it took four years? I think that's the first time I actually felt like I was growing up - or growing old perhaps - cause come on, to say I was working on something for a while, then put it on hold for four years, and then resumed it is just nuts. Anyway. Thank you for the review!

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**p3charmed** - HAHAHA I was SO excited to see your review and then be in touch again! Hope you liked this last one and thanks so much for the beta-ing of the one-shot! :D


	15. In My Life

A/N: Helloo! A major thank you to you guys who are reading and reviewing - you give me the encouragement and gentle - in some cases, not-so-gentle :D - prodding to keep writing! THANK YOU THANK YOU! Replies to all reviews are at the bottom of this chapter!

And many many thanks to **p3charmed**, my beta reader! I really appreciate you looking at this even when it was such a bad time for you. No matter how many times I go over a chapter, you always find many ways to improve it :) Thanks again!

* * *

**THE BEWITCHMENT OF JAMES POTTER**

**Chapter 15: In My Life**

* * *

Severus tried not to stare at her as he worked.

He tried to his keep his eyes from admiring her green eyes as they twinkled in the firelight.

He tried to force his mind to stop thinking about the way her warm auburn hair framed her perfect features.

He tried to keep his arm from twitching at the very thought of reaching out to touch her, close as she was to him.

_Futile._

Severus sighed inaudibly as he added ground root of wormwood to the water waiting in his cauldron. It was the first step to the potion he was making to save James Potter's life.

His hands balled into fists at the thought.

Severus breathed in deeply, seeking to regain control of himself. There was nothing he wanted more than to overturn the cauldron, spilling the contents across his cellar's floor, and condemn Potter to the rather prolonged, rather painful death that he himself had tailor-designed for his enemies. Potter's face had floated around his mind's eye during the month-long process of devising the potion, and it had been immensely satisfying to unleash it upon its imagined object.

_But I promised her I'd save him._

Now he was in a predicament he had never anticipated: to have to make the cure.

"Severus?" Lily asked, looking up at him from a set of his notes that she had been reading. They were in the tiny cellar of his house, which he had remodelled as a home workstation. "Are you alright?" Her brow was wrinkled, her head tilted as she looked at him quizzically.

_No, I'm not,_ he thought grimly as he reluctantly stirred in the powder. _I loathe Potter with every fibre of my being, would in all honesty prefer that he simply die, and would consider it the most delicious icing on my cake to be the one responsible for his demise. _

_However, I am unfortunately unable to let that happen because then you'll be in pain at his death, as well as hate me for the rest of your existence. Neither of those are potential outcomes by which I can abide._

"Yes, I'm fine," answered Severus, avoiding her eyes. "I'm just devising the precise sequence of ingredients."

Lily raised an eyebrow. "'Devising?'"

"Indeed. You see, when I created this potion I never expected to have to reverse it."

He watched the succession of emotions that crossed her face; he found he could still read her so very well. Anger turned into disappointment, then frustration into fear.

"I see." She stood up from the stool on which she had been sitting. "According to your notes on the poison's ingredients, you will need to include root of wormwood to reduce the acidity of the acromantula venom."

"That's precisely what I'm doing, Lily."

He knew she hadn't quite forgiven him for what he had done, but she had accepted that it had happened, and was now assuming a pragmatic approach. He was also absurdly pleased that she remembered something that he had taught her, from when he had coached her through Potions that first year at Hogwarts. What had been a not-so-great subject turned into her best as he opened her eyes to the magic of bubbling brews and she developed her own natural flair for it. He could not help himself from smiling at her, at the familiarity of the moment, of the two of them once again making a potion together.

"Stop smiling already, and tell me how I can help."

He handed her a tied bunch of fresh nightshade. "Do you remember how to extract the essence from this?"

"Belladonna?" demanded Lily sharply, recognising the plant. "What are you suggesting, that we cure poison with poison?"

Severus shook his head derisively. "Think harder."

He was assuming the condescending teacher role once again. He watched her jut her chin spitefully, watched her resist the urge to say something cutting, then watched her calm herself down.

Lily sliced the string that held the stems together, then carefully started plucking off the leaves from the stems.

"Belladonna kills because it relaxes the body's muscles, including the heart," began Lily, reasoning as she worked, "Muggles call the compound atropine."

"You're getting warmer," murmured Severus, flicking his wand to light a roaring flame under his cauldron.

"In the sixteenth century, women used belladonna to dilate their eyes, supposedly making them more attractive according to the convention of the time-"

"Colder."

"I wasn't finished," protested Lily, placing the leaves in a pile and beginning to slice the roots. She disliked this patronising professor persona, yet had tolerated it because it had spurred her to get the answer right - and because she truly respected his talent. "Atropine is also used medicinally in the Muggle world to reverse some forms of cardiac arrest, such as bradycardia, which is an extremely low heart rate-"

"Warmer."

"Since such a low heart rate is lethal, atropine is sometimes used to relax the nerve that is causing the low heart rate... thereby allowing the heart to beat normally."

"Hot."

_She's brilliant, as always._ He started to smile once again, but then suddenly frowned at his memories.

She had been at the head of Slughorn's Advanced Potions class their sixth and seventh year... because he had been unable to concentrate and had disengaged from the course. He couldn't endure watching how she and Potter had become friendly during their sixth year, not when his own friendship with her had blown to pieces, and absolutely unable to stomach watching them in class the following year, when their friendship had developed into an amorous, publicly affectionate relationship...

"So your potion basically cures bradycardia?" inquired Lily, interrupting his thoughts.

"Among many other things," he said sneeringly, unable to refrain from showing off. "With the belladonna extract, we address the increasingly low heart rate, which is the ultimate cause of death, but there are many other concerns that become salient before that point."

He turned back to his cauldron, watching the water begin to simmer. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed that she had stopped cutting and was staring him. In a way, he still could not believe she was here, at his side, finally out of captivity, and that he did not have to torture her to keep up pretences with the Dark Lord. He and Lily were once again, finally, working together, figuring out a potions puzzle together.

_If only we weren't making James Potter's bloody cure, this might be the happiest day in the past five years of my life._

"'Other concerns?'" repeated Lily, her eyes wide with concern.

He turned to her with a conflictung mixture of reluctance and eagerness. He wanted to show her the complexity of his potion, the brilliance of its design, yet he knew that to reveal all would probably cost him volumes in her esteem.

_But I owe her the truth._

Severus' voice was even as he found the words. "By now he should be unable to walk, and will have lost most of his upper body strength. He will soon lose the ability to speak, as well as the ability to see. The red lines that seem to be spreading across his body are actually his own blood vessels, dilating until they eventually burst. This was a safety mechanism, to ensure death in the event that the belladonna should prove to be insufficient."

"In-insufficient..."

He watched the blood drain from her face, watched her lips tremble as she inhaled sharply.

Severus' breath caught as he stared at her, confused. He did not expect her, as beautiful as she was, to be the frail damsel. Then, suddenly, he remembered what he had put her through for two months, realising once again that she _was_ frail, that she was weak, and that this time she actually needed someone stronger than she.

He moved quickly to grab her as she swayed.

"Lily," he said, holding her roughly, "you know I intended to kill."

She shivered, her skin seemingly crawling away from his touch.

"But I'm helping you now. However, I cannot do this if you faint on me, as I shall have to stop and take care of you. More to the point - with your help, I'll get this done much faster."

She gazed up at him, her eyes and face revealing a mix of emotions that, for once, he was unable to decode. He lost himself momentarily, staring into the emeralds of her eyes, ever conscious of the proximity of her lips.

_It's now or never._

He leaned forward, tilted his head, closed his eyes, and did something that he knew he would probably regret, yet also knew he would forever regret not attempting.

He kissed her.

* * *

"Would you hurry up?" called Marlene impatiently, holding her robes up as she hurried despite the sidewalk's crumbling pavement.

"_Blimey_," said Peter, breathing heavily, unable to force his heavy body to move forward.

"Here's Spinner's End!" called Sirius, far ahead of them.

"Keep your wands out," added Remus, who was standing next to him, his wand ready. "I doubt Snivelly's feelings toward us have warmed in retrospect!"

Marlene shot Peter a look of desperation; he had fallen further behind. She ran towards him, grabbed him, and forced him to vanish with her through Side-Along Apparition. An instant later, they reappeared next to Sirius and Remus.

"It's the last house," said Marlene, pointing. "Let's hope he's home."

"Surely old friends don't need to knock," said Sirius, smirking.

"Agreed!" exclaimed Peter, clearly happy he would not have to walk further.

Remus nodded silently, and with a quick series of pops, Marlene watched the three of them Disappearate. Hands on her hips, she tapped her feet... then decided that if they could be rude, she could be too.

* * *

_Pop!_

"Let me get this straight!" Sirius was shouting as Marlene appeared in Severus' cellar. "You kissed James, you kissed Edouard, and now you're kissing bloody_ Snivellus_? Who's next? _ME?_"

Lily's face burned with humiliation. She wanted to explain that it was Severus who had kissed her, but she resolutely refused to mortify Severus in front of Sirius. Instead, she regarded Sirius coldly, her hands across her chest. "There'll be a blizzard in hell before _that _happens."

"Lily!" cried Marlene, rushing forward to hug her friend. "We've been so worried!"

"Watch out, love," mocked Sirius, "Lily's awfully horny these days and she doesn't seem to care _what_ her lips meet. How she managed to snog Snivelly is beyond me, what with that planet of a nose in the way."

Lily glared daggers at him, hardly feeling Marlene's arms around her_._

"I'll rip you limb from limb!" snarled Severus, his sallow face contorted with fury, vivid with loathing. He brought his black wand down in a swift, slashing movement.

A gash appeared, halving Sirius's immaculate cheek.

"Sirius!" cried Marlene, rushing back to him, clutching at his face to try to stop the flowing blood.

"Stop it!" shouted Lily, reaching for Severus. Before she or any of the others could stop him, he had whipped his wand again; another gash appeared at Sirius' forearm.

_"Expelliarmus!"_

Severus' wand flew out of his reach; Lily barely managed to catch it in the air, frazzled as she was. "What the hell was_ that_?" she demanded, utterly bewildered and unable to process all that had occurred in the past minute of her life.

"You heard what he said!" hissed Severus, his hand shaking with anger as it pointed at Sirius.

"I heard," muttered Lily, furious at Sirius. "But it doesn't justify this! You need to patch him up - neatly."

"He can keep his slimy fucking hands off of me," growled Sirius, spitting out blood. The red smears on his face and neck contrasted vividly with the weary pallor of his skin and the steely grey of his eyes. "Marlene's already got the cuts fixed, but he owes me a new pair of robes."

"You were the one who popped in here uninvited," replied Lily snappily, "I don't have to tell you how rude, not to mention _illegal_, that is!"

"Merlin's shit, you're defending him?" shouted Sirius in outrage, his eyes surveying her fiercely. "You know, I think I made a mistake showing up at your flat in Paris that night. I truly believed you were the one for James. But I now I know I was mistaken... because he deserves much, much better than you!"

Lily swallowed hard, feeling her eyes prickle at the injustice of the accusation. She said nothing, and Sirius finally turned to his friends. "We're leaving!"

Sirius, Remus, and Peter Disapparated immediately. Marlene, however, stayed where she was.

"You're not going?" asked Lily, hurrying over to her friend.

"Sirius is fine now," Marlene replied, shrugging. "And he's being a total hypocrite, what with the number of women that have shared his life at the same time... in the past." She paused to roll her eyes, then smiled faintly. "However, his loyalty is always going to be with James. Mine is always going to be with you, no matter who you do the tonsil tango with-"

"The tonsil _what_?" cried out Lily, aghast, "we did _not-_"

"It doesn't matter," said Marlene, continuing, "What I'm trying to say is, snog this bloke, don't snog this bloke, it makes no difference to me. But James-" she stopped suddenly, her eyes glistening suddenly. "He's in a bad place, Lily. He can hardly talk and those damned red lines are everywhere. If you want to come say goodbye, I'll make sure Sirius lets you in."

"Goodbye?" said Lily uncertainly, her voice hoarse.

"I'm sorry, I know that he meant a lot to you, but we have to be realistic at this point," said Marlene, reaching out sympathetically.

_She's saying James is dying._

"Wrong," stated Lily, shaking her head slowly in denial. "There's no past tense - he _means_ a lot to me." She rushed back over to Severus. "Can we still reverse the poison's effects?"

His dark eyes flickered over hers. "I promised you I would."

"Cure James?" cried Marlene, understanding, "I've tried already! You have to believe me, your chance to say goodbye is now!"

Lily walked back to the cutting board, and picked up her knife. "If Severus says he can do this, he can," she said, resuming her slicing of the nightshade roots. "We'll be back at the manor as soon as it's ready."

Marlene looked at Lily, her eyes full of love and pity. "Lily, you're going to regret this."

"We don't have time to argue," said Lily firmly, waving her knife at her. "Go back and-"

_Pop!_

Sirius re-Apparated in the cellar, his face a storm cloud. "I thought you were right behind us!" He marched over and grabbed Marlene by the hand. He hesitated, turning towards Lily. "Are you coming or what?"

"I'm invited now, am I?" hissed Lily icily.

"Personally, I don't give a damn if you stay," snapped Sirius. "I came back for _her_," he indicated Marlene, "and her alone. However, it occurs to me that James will want my head on a platter if I return without you. Telling him about you snogging Snivellus would do more harm than good, because the idiot would still love you and it will only hurt him... And the last thing I want to do now is cause him anymore pain." Sirius winced, gulped, then glared at her again. "So if you don't mind, get your arse over here so that we can leave."

"I'm not going anywhere," said Lily, picking up the chopped herbs and putting them in a mortar, "Severus and I are working on a cure."

"A cure?"

Lily looked up at Sirius. She felt her anger ebb away as she looked at his agonised face. _He thinks he's about to lose his best friend, his brother._

_Yet he's not only in mourning_, she realised, seeing his face reflect her own emotions.

_He's wracked by guilt._

Somehow, in that instant, she understood.

She walked over to him, put a hand on his shoulder, not letting him flinch away. "You can't blame yourself for what's happening to James."

Sirius looked away from her, but not before Lily saw his grey eyes redden.

Marlene gasped and took a step forward. "Is that what you've been doing, Sirius?"

"Well, I should have done something to stop it!" he blurted out, pulling away from both of them, blinking quickly, "I should have been more alert, I should have defended James... _I should have killed Councillor Four!_"

Lily kept her eyes from wandering across the room to look at Severus._ I will not betray him._

"There's nothing you could have done," whispered Lily, reaching out for him again, and wrapping an arm around his back, "you had no idea what would happen."

"I-"

"Stop it," interrupted Lily, raising a hand to cut him off. "If anyone is to blame, it's me - I got myself captured in the first place."

"There was nothing you could have done to avoid it!" Severus hissed loudly from across the room, where he had been watching them while stirring the contents of the cauldron.

"Hear that?" murmured Marlene, her arms surrounding Lily and Sirius. "Apparently you're both being stupid."

Lily gave her a faint smile, then turned back to Sirius. "Listen. You remember how talented Severus was at potion-making?"

Sirius narrowed his eyes, scowling at the floor. Even now it seemed to be difficult for him to admit any quality to Severus.

"Sirius?" prompted Lily, prodding him with her elbow.

"Yes," he muttered finally.

"Well then," she said, continuing, "He's already identified the potion's compounds, and he's confident can figure out a cure."

"Already?" asked Marlene, her eyebrows knotted together, clearly unconvinced.

"He's had some practice before," Lily responded evasively. "Go back to James, so that we can get back to work."

"Fine," said Sirius, nodding as he took Marlene's hand. "And Lily - do hurry. This is no time to snog Snivellus' face off."

Lily barely resisted the urge to hex him into oblivion.

* * *

After they left, Severus turned to Lily, who was now grinding the nightshade into a pulp. He watched her work, her brow wrinkled with determination, putting her weight into it the way he had shown her in order to get the smoothest paste possible.

"You didn't tell them," he said, staring at her now, unable to keep the admiration he felt from sneaking into his voice. "About me."

When he said he would help her, he had taken it as a given that she would tell Potter and his friends about his involvement. Because this would be unacceptable, he had formulated a plan: to make her swear an Unbreakable Vow before handing her the finalised potion. His current unperturbed demeanour was a front; inside, he was rattled by the realisation that he would never need magic to silence Lily. Although their friendship had finished, it was now clear that her loyalty was unwavering... he should have known. At Hogwarts he had worried that one day she would notice how irreparably unpopular he was, that she would cut him off in order to thrive socially. Yet the very qualities he admired her for - courage, honour, and protectiveness - had meant that their friendship had continued... he knew how painfully ironic it was that these were the very qualities that had placed her in Gryffindor in the first place.

Lily shook her head, still grinding. "I didn't fancy watching Sirius murder you in your own house."

"As if he would have been able to!"

"He wouldn't hesitate to kill for James," she stated, handing him the mortar. "Especially not if he found out it was you."

"Me, the Death Eater that nearly killed Potter?" murmured Severus, slowly pouring the paste into the boiling water.

Lily glared at him; he could tell he was really getting to her now. "I also wouldn't mention," she continued, her eyes narrow slits, "that you're the Death Eater that tortured me for two months."

He reached for a pickled bicorn horn, and dropped it in whole. "You have to believe that that was not what I wanted to do."

"What _do_ you want, Severus?"

"I should think it would be obvious by now."

He watched the horn dissolve before using his wand to lower the heat of the flames. "Two months ago, I wanted to keep you alive." His dark eyes raked over her face, taking in every feature once again. "If that meant putting you through hell, to make sure my supervision of you was believable and that my true feelings would be masqueraded when the Dark Lord used his skills at Legilimency, so be it. Would it redeem me, even partly, if I said that what I had to do wasn't easy, and it was not what I wanted to do?"

"And now?"

"Now what?"

"What do you want now?"

His eyes found hers and connected. Severus reached out slowly, and his index and middle fingertips reverently brushed the lips he had dreamed about for years, the lips that his own lips had met only minutes before. He tried to not see the way her eyes avoided his as soon as his skin had touched her flesh.

"I want what I can't have," he said, sighing as he dropped his hand. "Now, let's finish this damn thing."

* * *

James heard several people moving around his bedside. His heart started pounding as he realized he had once again fallen asleep.

_Where is she?_

_Is she safe?_

James fought to sit up, but his head felt like it was going to explode; he tried to look around, but all he could see were vague shapes.

He tried not to let fear take hold of him.

_You knew it would get bad._

_You knew that this wouldn't be easy. _

_Don't be a baby and start crying now. If you die, you die like a Potter, chin up - if only figuratively speaking._

"Pad... Padfoot," he managed to say faintly.

One the of shapes came closer and closer, and when it was about an inch from his face, James perceived his best friend's face.

"Wh-where...?"

"Lily's fine Prongs, don't worry." He felt his friend grip his hand tightly. "We found her, and she'll be coming back very soon."

"Wh-where...?"

"She's with bloody Snivellus."

_What?_

He knew he couldn't Apparate to her, knew he couldn't even leave his bed. In utter frustration, James emitted a low growl.

Sirius chuckled lightly. "Mate, I feel exactly the same."

James felt Sirius pat his shoulder. He tried not to wince at the pain it caused, not wanting his friend to notice.

"They're trying to figure out a way to help you," Sirius said finally, no trace of humour in his voice. "The only reason I let her stay is because I just can't lose you, okay."

James sensed Sirius' fear, sensed his unease. _He already knows how bad this is._

_At least Lily is safe._

_I can rest.  
_

Sleep came to claim him once again, and he succumbed in exhaustion.

* * *

"Wake up."

Lily twitched and then her eyes opened: she had fallen asleep on the worktable, her face resting on her crossed forearms. He withdrew himself from her side, and returned to the cauldron.

"You let me fall asleep!" she cried, her voice rising with alarm as she jumped to her feet. "What time is it?"

He smiled slightly. They had worked together without stopping for hours, but then he had insisted on performing the last few, tricky steps himself. She had gone to sit down to "watch him work" and yet immediately dozed off, exhausted, still recovering.

Then, he glanced at the cauldron in front of him, and his smile vanished. "The time isn't important. It's finished."_  
_

_Now Potter will __live._

True, Lily was engaged to another man, and would perhaps marry him - he had the seen deep affection she had for her fiancé in her thoughts when she was under his capture. Yet he knew what it seemed that even she wouldn't admit to herself. And so, it was the images of James and Lily from Hogwarts that flooded his mind, feeding his bitterness - the pair of them smiling together in the library, hugging after yet another Gryffindor Quidditch victory...

_I am giving them another opportunity to be together._

He wanted to blast the cauldron apart, wanted to vaporise its contents.

_But I'm doing this for her, not for me._

Severus carefully ladled the potion, serving a small amount of it into a vial, then sealed it with his wand.

"Thank you," she said softly, her face full of emotion.

He handed her the vial wordlessly, drank in the colour of her eyes one more time, then left the room without looking back.

* * *

Lily picked up the vial with careful fingers, feeling its precious honey-coloured liquid warm the glass. She placed it in an empty dragon hide pouch Severus had left on the worktable, pulled it tightly closed, and placed it securely around her neck.

_I have to hurry._

* * *

James heard a commotion somewhere far above him.

He knew voices were calling his name.

He sincerely hoped everything was okay with everyone up there.

But he found that he simply couldn't care enough to open his eyes.

_She's safe._

_Everything is in order._

_I can let go.  
_

He heard his name again, felt someone touch him.

_Don't worry about me, please._

_I'm fine._

_And I don't hurt any more._

He was sinking, sinking into a deep blue nothingness. It felt delicious.

* * *

Lily Apparated to the front door of the manor. She pounded on the heavy doors until her knuckels ached; seconds trickled by like centuries before she recognised that this was no time for politeness. Apparating again, this time directly into James' room, she was shocked by what she saw. Sirius, Remus, Peter, Marlene, Minio, Tessy - the anxious, grieving faces blurred as she rushed forward directly to James' bedside.

She forcibly moved Sirius away, and was now standing next to James.

_Severus told me what to do._

His eyes were closed; his chest was not moving.

"James!" she called, her voice rather shrill.

No response.

"James!" she cried in alarm, now shaking his arm.

"Lily, I'm really sorry-" choked out Marlene, trying to reach out to her.

"He's already gone," whispered Remus' voice behind her. "I closed his eyes."

Sirius' stony face was next to her, wordless.

Lily ignored them, all of them. Her hands traveled to James' chest, feeling down its it center, then it's right side. She closed her eyes, concentrating.

_There it is!_

Her eyes flew open, and she drew out her wand.

"Lily-" began Peter, moving closer to the bed.

"I'm sorry," added Remus, "there's nothing you can do."

"No, that's not true!"

"Lily-"

"HIS HEART IS BEATING YOU MORONS!"

"W-what?" gasped Sirius, knocking her aside to see.

"That's just how the potion works, it causes a very faint heartbeat!" she snapped, then elbowed him out of her way again. "He's not breathing though, so give me some room!"

She removed the vial from its pouch, and cautiously broke its seal. From her pockets she drew out the silver knife Severus had given her and quickly cut James' robes open, stripping down to his bare chest.

She inhaled sharply as she noticed the large and small lines that protruded from his chest and spread throughout his torso.

_His own blood vessels, Severus said._

_I don't have any time!_

"Move!" Lily hissed once again to Marlene and Sirius, who were still hovering at her side.

She hesitated for a moment, thinking about the best possible location to do what she had to do.

"You're going to have to trust me," Lily whispered, then sliced the skin directly above James' heart.

* * *

_Swimming this deep is like flying without a broomstick,_ decided James as he fell deeper and deeper into the seemingly endless abyss.

_I'm weightless._

_Floating._

_Yet falling._

He dove down further, relishing the coolness that surrounded him, his body finally at ease.

_I don't feel anything!_

_I never want to leave._

Then, suddenly, he saw her soaring high above him.

Her hair floated around clouding his view of her face, yet he knew who she was instantly.

_Lily._

_"Hi!"_ he said, waving to her enthusiastically.

She waved back, then gesticulated that he should come up to where she was.

_"Why don't you come here?"_ he answered, letting himself fall a bit lower. _"It's better here."_

She shook her head sadly, then motioned to him again.

_"But up there, I don't get to be with you!" _he shouted, feeling pain split through his heart once again.

He thought he had escaped the pain.

_"Come down with me deeper so we can escape this!"_ he called, his hands pressing into his chest, trying to alleviate the burn.

She silently said no, her gestures growing more frantic.

His heart was throbbing hot; his skin was erupting in chills.

_"But it hurts!"_

_"Stay with me, James!"_

He knew that if he swam deeper, it would all go away.

_But I've never been a coward when it comes to pain._

_And when have I ever been able to say no to her?_

After one more breath of the relaxing blue, he turned and made his way back. Back to pain, back to her.

* * *

:D

Hey guys, thanks soooo much for your reviews! Seriously, they are what make me write this story, and it's especially thanks to the "it's been two months, will you update already!" guys that I'm like IT'S BEEN THAT LONG? and get cracking on the next chapter :D

**smp2792 - **Hahahaha yeah I know, the Snape thing may have been a bit obvious... it was interesting to write though :) Glad you're liking this story, hopefully you like this chapter too!

**nuna -** I'm definitely getting on it! This chapter covers one of your requests... the other will eventually be on its way, either in this fic or a possible sequel, I haven't decided yet ;)

**amyXD -** Well, it was only two months, not years this time! :D Thanks so much for writing your review, it made me very happy! I still don't know how I came up with the idea for it, but as much as I enjoy reading the Hogwarts/Marauders fanfics, I realized I'm no good at writing them, so this is what there is hehe. I literally started writing this chapter the day after I got your review, it really motivated me!

**patrycia -** Thanks for the review! I was so happy you reviewed a chapter that isn't the last one in the story, very few people do that, and it's nice to get feedback on a section! I actually went back and re-worked the chapter a couple of months ago (it was a bit wordy hehehe), so I'm especially glad that you like it the way it is now :)

**Barbata Manatee -In the Flesh- **Hahaha thank you! It's so hard trying to get the characters right, to make it good yet authentic! Trust me, one reader is almost enough to get a chapter out - getting your review was a major push, it makes me stop being lazy and start actually typing my ideas! Thank you so so much for the encouragement and extremely kind words! *somersaults*

**inuyashagirl342** - yayyy you're addicted, that's great news! Hahahaha thank you very much, I really appreciate that you like how I wrote Severus, he's so hard to get right, yet he's been one of my favorites since Book 1. When I wrote him last time, I was so scared I was going to get flamed, lol. Hopefully you still like him in this chapter :)

**anonymous - **Hahaha you liked the kiss! I loved writing the kiss! I know I should write more L/J kisses - I WANT to write more L/J kisses! - but it has to be the right moment :D There will definitely be plenty of kisses to come though! Also, thanks for reviewing chapter 12, it's rare that people review previous chapters and I like getting that kind of on-the-chapter feedback!

**wadida999 - **Hahahahaha I love that you also liked the kiss! I really liked writing it, and couldn't wait to write in more kissing for the right moments :D Thank you !

**Junebugs and Nargles -** Lol, thanks for the review! I love, love, love your fanfiction name :)

**White Camellia -** YAY, you're hooked, that's awesome! hehehe I'm so glad you liked it, and I really hope you like this chapter too! :D

**itxprincessxlala - **I'm so glad you still liked my story after all this time! As you can see, I'm updating regularly now (by my standards anyway o.O) THANK YOU so much for the encouragement!

**Winged Flying Werewolf Girl -** Hahaha clearly I knew it was your birthday when I updated... lol I'm so glad you liked that chapter! Hope you like this one :D

**DaisyFlower10 - **Hahahaha thanks, I'm so so glad you liked the chapter :D I wrote much of it on a Monday, so writing it made my Monday better, lol. As far as the twists and turns - I love twists and turns! I really, really appreciate the encouragement, I hope you liked this latest one!

**Isabella - **Hey, thanks! I'm thrilled that you liked it, it's sooooo exciting to get reviews, and yours was SO encouraging!

**SnarkySidekick - **Thanks again, I'm very glad you're still reading :D

**RoxyBabyX - **Hahaha I know, I tried so hard to keep his real identity secret, but there's very little that Harry Potter fans can't figure out ;) Hopefully this chapter answered some of your questions about the poisoned dart! Oh, and I love writing Sirius - he's lovable and loyal, but there is a mean streak in him that is somehow appealing! So glad you like the story, hopefully you liked this chapter too!

**mebmarker24 **- Hahahahaha you know me and cliffhangers :D Although this one was a rather tame one :)

**p3charmed -** Thanks again for beta-ing! I'm so sorry I got all impatient, i was excited to post hehehe :D

**Hi - **Hahaha thanks for the honesty! I'm very glad that that chapter caught your attention and you kept reading :D Hopefully you liked this chapter and that it made sense even without remembering much of the story, lol, I had lots of fun writing it!

**lmurph2592 - **Hahahaha well, there you go, I read your mind and updated! I hope you like this chapter too, it finally got to resolving one piece (or two) of the story line. The last chapter was indeed a bit of a filler, but it re-connected Lily and Severus, something I've wanted to do for a while, and which I think was important enough to be on its own :) Xx


	16. This Bird Has Flown

**DISCLAIMER:** Nothing that you recognise is mine!

**RESPONSE TO REVIEWERS:** Thank you so much for your feedback and encouragement! Please find responses to individual reviews at the bottom! :)

**A/N:** Sorry it's taken so long to review! I moved to Spain, and that caused some delay, to put it mildly! :)

* * *

**THE BEWITCHMENT OF JAMES POTTER**

**End of Chapter 15: In My Life  
**

* * *

_Swimming this deep is like flying without a broomstick,_ decided James as he fell deeper and deeper into the seemingly endless abyss.

_I'm weightless._

_Floating._

_Yet falling._

He dove down further, relishing the coolness that surrounded him, his body finally at ease.

_I don't feel anything!_

_I never want to leave._

Then, suddenly, he saw her soaring high above him.

Her hair floated around clouding his view of her face, yet he knew who she was instantly.

_Lily._

_"Hi!"_ he said, waving to her enthusiastically.

She waved back, then gesticulated that he should come up to where she was.

_"Why don't you come here?"_ he answered, letting himself fall a bit lower. _"It's better here."_

She shook her head sadly, then motioned to him again.

_"But up there, I don't get to be with you!" _he shouted, feeling pain split through his heart once again.

He thought he had escaped the pain.

_"Come down with me deeper so we can escape this!"_ he called, his hands pressing into his chest, trying to alleviate the burn.

She silently said no, her gestures growing more frantic.

His heart was throbbing hot; his skin was erupting in chills.

_"But it hurts!"_

_"Stay with me, James!"_

He knew that if he swam deeper, it would all go away.

_But I've never been a coward when it comes to pain._

_And when have I ever been able to say no to her?_

After one more breath of the relaxing blue, he turned and made his way back. Back to pain, back to her.

* * *

**THE BEWITCHMENT OF JAMES POTTER**

**Chapter 16: This Bird Has Flown  
**

* * *

James emerged from the deep dark pool suddenly, splashing out of its depths with a large intake of breath at the surface.

His arms struggled with the tangled linen sheets; he winced as his eyes were assaulted by the early afternoon light, blinking furiously against the bright white. He ordered them to focus, and the haze of the draperies hanging above his poster bed came into view.

Then, his gaze shifted, immediately travelling the room. He relaxed immediately as soon as he saw her there, ungracefully slumped in a couch pulled to the right of his bedside.

James smiled slowly, cautiously elated. Lily was fast sleep, her head resting peacefully on Sirius' shoulder, who in turn was leaning against her, snoring into her face.

_So. Apparently I have to nearly die to get these two together without bloodshed._

James breathed in deeply yet gingerly; his chest felt like Hagrid was sitting on it. He looked down: dried blood caked the top of his ripped nightshirt.

_Ah. So there was blooshed..._

Nonetheless, James grinned broadly. The red lines on the backs of his hands had vanished.

_They did it! I'm going to live!_

He wanted to wake Lily and Sirius, to talk to them, to find out what he had missed... to thank them, of course, but especially, he realised with increasing clarity, to get to spend some time with Lily. However, for now, he would let them rest, and in the meantime, he decided to check himself out and figure out his status.

James wiggled his toes, and then warily flexed his calves. He was delighted to find his legs responsive once again, albeit rather tender to movement.

_Probably should be taking it easy, but what the hell._

He inched his body across the bed, away from his friends, and slowly slid his legs over the side, allowing his feet to touch the wooden floor. He took in several deep breaths, counted to three, then pushed off the mattress with his forearms, willing all of his weight forward to a standing position.

_Too soon!_

An overwhelming sensation of thousands of pinpricks assaulted his feet; he yelped loudly at the pain.

"James?" called Lily, waking up instantly at the commotion.

"It's okay," panted James, breaking into a sweat as he took another agonising step.

"You should be resting!" she shrieked, shoving Sirius' head unceremoniously off her shoulder, then hurried towards him. Sirius coughed, twitched, then hugged the arm of the sofa, sound asleep once more.

"Shh!" whispered James, pointing at Sirius' sleeping form.

_"Get back into that bed!"_ she hissed in a pitch so high James was sure only dogs could hear her.

"I'm fine!" called James, moving away from her as he inched his left foot forward again.

Then, he felt his robes start to loosen, and before he could prevent it, they slid down to his ankles, leaving absolutely nothing to Lily's imagination.

Lily, somewhat out of modestly but mostly out of total embarrassment, squeezed her eyes shut.

"_Bloody hell!_" whispered James in mortification, instantly covering his frontal privates with his hands. "Why do my robes look like I've been ax-murdered?"

"It's... kind of a long story," she whispered back, her eyes still pinched firmly. "D'you need any help?"

_"No!"_

Even though his legs were beginning to shake from the exertion, there was no way James was going to admit it. He took a step back towards the bed, but a stray bit of fabric trailed behind him and caught his foot.

"Whoa!" he cried, feeling his legs giving out from under him.

"James!" shouted Lily, reaching blindly, her arms outstretched in alarm.

His hand caught hold of hers as he fell backwards on to the bed, and he brought her down on top of him.

_Okay, so maybe I did that last part on purpose.  
_

"Oh Merlin, I'm sorry!" cried Lily, her eyes still closed, rushing to get off of him but entangling her legs in layers of sheets and limbs in the process.

Then James noticed something that brought fear into his heart.

"Don't move!" he ordered suddenly.

Lily froze. "Am I hurting you?"

"No, but that left knee is millimetres away ending the Potter line!"

"What?"

"You know... _the family jewels_..."

"Oh!" cried Lily, now clearly understanding; her face flushed immediately.

"And," continued James as he carefully moved his area of concern away from her threatening knee, "there's no reason for you to close your eyes. There's nothing you haven't seen before."

His comment was rewarded by an even darker shade of red travelling from her chest to her cheeks. Then his focus shifted slightly to her closed lips; they were already so close to his that he barely had to raise his head if he wanted to meet them with his.

_And I definitely want to meet them._

_This will be decidedly most ungentlemanly of me, but what the hell... I did almost die last night!_

He propped himself on his shoulders and, ignoring the throbbing in his chest, captured her soft mouth with his.

As soon as their lips touched, he felt her stiffen in shock. He opened his eyes and saw that hers were wide, gesticulating in Sirius's direction.

"Shh," he murmured against her muted objection, kissing her again.

_Life is for living._

His sore hands slowly reached across the curve of her lower back. Aching to feel her warmth against the coldness inside of him, he pulled her closer.

As he pressed into her, ignoring the increasing pain in his body, he felt her simply melt into him. Her lips caressed his, first softly, then with more insistence; his tongue met hers and returned its caresses.

As their hands began to roam and explore, James felt his body waken to the moment. He felt her hands moving to his shoulders, his chest, as she too pressed against him, sending a current of heat rippling through his body, stoking the fire only she could create within him.

_I want all of her._

James felt every sense rouse, rejoicing in being alive: the scent of her skin drew him ever closer, his eyes drank in the colour of hers as they connected, his skin burned wherever her flesh touched his, and his hands welcomed the warmth of her skin as she guided them under her sweater.

He inched further up the bed, to give them more space and allow him more access. However, his legs were still neurally disconnected from his brain. Instead of moving carefully, his left foot jerked and kicked over the bedside lamp, sending it shattering to the floor.

_"OI!"_

Lily's head snapped towards the source of the cry so quickly that James found his lips suddenly kissing nothing and his hands groping air.

He opened his eyes, and saw that Lily had leapt off him and was back on her feet, rearranging her clothes hastily.

James groaned and leaned back against the pillows.

_Bollocks._

"I get it now!" Sirius was shouting, wide awake and on his feet. He was pointing his finger at Lily accusingly, his face contorted with disgust. "This is why you offered to keep watch! You wanted first dibs at snogging him!"

"Well, I didn't realise you wanted him for yourself!" retorted Lily, face aflame.

"Yeah, that's what I meant," hissed Sirius sarcastically. "Prongs nearly _died_ – you can't just expect him to do the pillow gymnastics with you, you know!"

James watched Lily fix Sirius with a withering glare. "I was _not_ asking him–"

"Good, then you_ admit_ you were taking advantage of a wounded man!"

"We were NOT–"

"Then why is James naked?" countered Sirius, at which moment James quickly rearranged the sheets that at some previous point had stopped covering the essentials. "And where's that thing you Muggle women wear under your clothes?"

Lily immediately folded her hands across her chest defensively. "How can you _tell_?"

_Oh Merlin..._

James was kicking himself inside.

_How did I not notice?_

"Practice," murmured Sirius smugly.

"Stop staring at her chest then!" growled James through clenched jaws.

"Not that it's any of your business whatsoever," said Lily huffily, her arms still crossed, "but I wasn't wearing one _before_ I got here!"

Both James and Sirius gulped in unison.

"What?" snapped Lily peevishly, still staring daggers at Sirius, "I didn't exactly have all the time in the world to get dressed when _I_ was out saving _his_ life!"

Silence.

_"What?"_ she shouted again, looking from one to the other.

"STOP STARING AT HER CHEST PADFOOT!" snarled James, hurling a pillow at his best friend.

Sirius shook his head, as if to clear it, then turned to James. "Excuse me."

James glowered at him silently.

Sirius shrugged his shoulders apologetically. "Just a temporary lapse, mate – McKinnon's made me a reformed man. If it makes you feel better, I'll from this day onwards consider Lily sexless."

"Sexless?" repeated Lily suspiciously.

"You know, neither male nor female. An 'it', if you will."

"An_ it?_" she cried, her voice rising. "If I _will?__"_

"Yes. Other than for the purposes of reproduction, in which case of course you'd have to have female parts," said Sirius as nonchalantly as if he were discussing the weather.

_"Reproduction?"_

"But since you two already seemed well on your way to producing a tiny Potter, I may as well give you my official blessing," continued Sirius smoothly, "as I'd like to be an uncle while I'm still young and handsome–"

"Please stop talking!"

"However," he went on, raising a hand calmly to silence Lily, "I do ask that you give James rather a bit more time to recuperate from his injuries before you... er... ride his broom?"

"Padfoot!" cried James, with a warning tone that left no room for misinterpretation.

"Say no more, say no more," said Sirius, patting James on the shoulder daintily. "I'm terrifically pleased that you pulled through this little scare... and now I'll take my leave."

He reached out to shake Lily's hand, but she just stared at him, nostrils flared. "Too soon?"

Lily glared at him stonily in response.

"Ah, I see, you must want your privacy... Okay, but just remember to wait a few more days before you put his bun in your ov-"

"PADFOOT!" bellowed James, rising to his elbows.

"I'll show myself out then!"

* * *

After Sirius left, Lily turned to James, and was gratified to see that his embarrassed face reflected hers.

"Well," began James, clearing his throat nervously. "At least he didn't put in a special order for twins or something."

Lily fixed him with a look that could shrivel gold.

James' eyes widened and he held up his hands innocently. "I'm just saying, it could have been worse."

Lily rolled her eyes, then sat down at the foot of his bed. "James..."

"I know," he said, closing his eyes.

"We need to talk."

He nodded, eyes still shut. "Yes... I suppose you're still engaged."

She sighed and leaned her head back against the bedpost. "About that..."

His eyes popped open and he stared back at her incredulously. "You mean it _is_ still on?"

"Well, it's up to Edouard. I don't know how he feels right now, after I disappeared that night and he went to France to search for me... I imagine he's probably rather upset, and justifiably so... So basically, nothing's decided," she responded, choosing her words carefully.

"You mean _you_ haven't decided."

"It's... complicated."

"Not to me!" he said, his voice rising as he sat up straight.

"I left, remember?" said Lily, avoiding his eyes. "I moved away - and I grew up to be someone else."

"That doesn't mean you have to be _with_ someone else!" he said, hazel eyes flashing.

"Look–"

"All I know," snapped James, brows furrowed, "is that we've survived what is supposed to be unsurvivable: you were bloody_ kidnapped_ by Death Eaters–" James paused to take a deep, calming breath.

"And you almost _died_," whispered Lily, every muscle in her body clenching at the thought.

"Exactly!" continued James, reaching out to place his hands on her lap. "And what about the rest of it? You moved to France, three years went by, you went and got _engaged_ – and yet, despite ALL of that, our feelings are still blazing hot."

"Poetic way to put it."

"It's the blasted truth!" he said, squeezing her hands in his. "By all logic we _shouldn't_ still have these feelings – and maybe don't want to have them – but they are there, in both of us, which means we still have a chance at being together. Maybe before I was an idiot who couldn't see it, but now I do. I'm not going to try to forget it, and I'm damn well going to fight for you."

"I do care about you," said Lily, smiling at him sadly. "The thing is I'm not supposed to! This situation isn't fair to you or to Edouard – and it's not fair to me either. I made him a promise that I meant to keep, and I've been leading you on, which I definitely never wanted to do. I never meant for all of this to happen, and if it hadn't been for the Death Eaters at the Welcoming Ball, it never would have."

"Remind me to thank them."

"Come on, be serious," she said, leaning forward. "I'm not asking you to understand how I feel. I'm asking you to give me time to figure that out for myself."

"I asked you to marry me, remember?" said James urgently, pulling her closer, "the same day that you left me without intending to say goodbye? and I didn't mean 'I kind of like you, so let's give Sirius a chance to work his way through some bridesmaids–'

"James, wait–" she started, trying to avoid where she felt his conversation was going and trying to avoid it at all costs.

"No," he said softly, cutting her off gently but firmly, "I meant that I knew, without a doubt, that I would _always_ love you. I'd marry you today if you would have me."

"James–"

"Would you?" persisted James, his hazel eyes engaging hers, "have me?"

_CRACK!_

The door to James' bedroom flew open, and Tessy appeared in its entrance.

_Damnation. _"Lily, in my next life, remind me to get house-elves with better timing!"

"Master!" Tessy squeaked, as she scurried to his side. She took several tiny gasping breaths as she saw the dried blood on his chest.

"Oh _no_," muttered James, dropping Lily's hand, fully aware of what would happen next.

The house-elf's face crumpled as tears rolled down her face. "M-M-Master!" Tessy howled, burying her wet face into James' palm.

"It's alright Tessy," started James, sighing. He looked back at Lily, his eyes begging silently for a rescue. "I'm fine, right Lily?"

"M-M-Master n-n-nearly _D-DIED_!" Tessy gasped inconsolably, her tiny shoulders shaking.

"Lily!" whispered James urgently, his head indicating at Tessy, whose diminutive pale hands were now gripping his right arm.

Lily rolled her eyes, then reached over and patted the house-elf on the shoulder. "He's okay, Tessy, don't worry."

"H-He is?" asked Tessy, raising her tiny head slightly.

"Yes, he is."

"T-That is g-good," whispered Tessy, taking deep, calming breaths.

Suddenly, they heard the pitter-patter of several other pairs of feet just outside the open door.

"Oh Merlin," moaned James, clapping his hand to his forehead.

"MASTER!" cried too many house-elves to count as they hurried in through the doorway.

"Lily–" began James, but she shrugged at him in response.

_"You're on your own,"_ she mouthed back at him, then tried to hide a smile as she watched the house-elves converge on James, pushing each other to take hold of his arm.

_Pop! Pop! Pop!_

_Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop!_

Lily turned to see the people she knew had appeared: Remus and Peter, and was surprised to see the others - Frank Longbottom, Alice Kensington, Edgar Bones, and Gideon and Fabian Prewett.

_Where's Marlene?_ she wondered, a vague worry finding its way into her thoughts.

"How are you feeling, mate?"

"Does Master wants anything?"

"Way to make us worry, eh Prongs!"

"You okay Potter?"

"_MASTER!_"

"Lily!" cried James in desperation, trying to extricate himself from the house-elves' grasps and his friend's questions.

_"Sorry,"_ she mouthed back, then, grateful for the time the interruptions had bought her, left the room grinning.

* * *

Sirius looked up from where he was making fresh orange juice; even his tall frame looked small in the cavernous ancient kitchen of Potter Manor.

Lily took a seat on an antique stool near him and took one of the oranges.

_It's always a sad day when he's best company to be had._

"Wasn't that rather quick, even for James?" he asked, tapping an orange half with his wand, making it squeeze itself perfectly into a waiting pitcher.

Lily tilted her head at him in confusion, then blushed furiously as she understood. "Funny," she snapped, then began to peel her orange by hand. "If you must know, we had barely started talking when everyone and their mum arrived."

"Ah," said Sirius, his ears perking. "Was one of them a certain foxy female we know and love?"

"Well, about a dozen house elves popped in, plus Peter and Remus, plus others... they all descended on James as soon as word got out he was awake... but no, no Marlene."

"Hey, I said nothing to anyone," he replied, and returned to swirling the juice around the pitcher, and gauging how much was there.

"You vowed 'TO HEAVEN AND EARTH' not leave his bedside until he woke... so as soon as you were spotted leaving his room, they attacked." She smiled broadly at the recollection of James' house-elf-covered arm, then popped an orange slice into her mouth. "You know, I think they may very well kill him with kindness."

"This should be enough," mumbled Sirius, putting the pitcher down. "So. Next topic – or rather, next wizard. Has Eddy boy come by to see you yet? He was rather upset when you left in the middle of the night to save James' life."

Lily coughed on the orange bit that had lodged in her throat. She frowned at Sirius as she swallowed. "Please, Sirius, call him Edouard. And no, he hasn't."

"May I ask, what is the plan on that front?" asked Sirius, walking over to a handsome mahogany cabinet.

"The plan?"

"As in, when I walk you down the aisle, what will be waiting for you at the other end, Brit or Frenchie?"

"I'm glad this is funny to you," murmured Lily tiredly. "And for the record, the day you walk me down any aisle will be at my funeral - as in 'over my dead body,' got it?"

"Indeed," called Sirius disappearing into the cellar adjacent to the kitchen. He reappeared moments later, a bottle of champagne in his hands. "But I rather thought the whole point of the matter was that you had already made up your mind, by promising yourself to Eddy."

"What are you on about, weren't you putting in a rush order for Potter-Evans progeny not even ten minutes ago?" asked Lily archly. "In my defence, I had no idea James even cared anymore. I seem to remember he was also engaged once, remember, to that Italian witch."

Sirius shrugged his shoulders lazily. "Nobody who knew him took that seriously. I'm surprised you did."

While Lily watched him silently, he uncorked the champagne bottle, then took out two long champagne flutes from a higher cabinet. He poured some champagne into each, followed by a splash of the fresh orange juice. "Mimosa?" he asked, moving one glass towards her.

Lily rolled her eyes, but accepted the glass.

"Goodness, we have so many things to celebrate," said Sirius, glass poised to toast. "Let's see – to you and Snivellus finding the cure as well as polishing each other's tonsils off – the image is burned into my corneas by the way -"

"I'll kill you," muttered Lily darkly.

"To something else then!" said Sirius silkily, raising his glass higher, "how about your upcoming nuptials? And may the groom never see what I saw, namely, James' clammy hands all over your –"

_"Sirius Black, I swear I'll–"_

"To you saving James' life, then, and never mind the complicated love life you choose to lead."

Lily placed her glass back on the table to keep herself from throwing it at Sirius. "What was the point of that comment, Black?"

"You know me, Red, there rarely is a point. To you it is, then." He raised his glass, and swallowed it down in two large gulps.

"I don't have to explain myself to you," she said, rising from her seat.

"No explanation needed," said Sirius, pouring himself a fresh drink. "In fact, I admire your pragmatism – you knew you needed a cure for James, and you knew Snivellus could do it. You gave him what he wanted, and you got what we needed."

"Let's get one thing straight," hissed Lily, her eyes narrowing. "My relationship with James cost me my friendship with him. You could at least recognise that he saved your best friend's life."

"Don't rewrite history, Lilykins," warned Sirius, eyes darkening even as he sipped his mimosa. "It was his fascination with the Dark Arts – and his future Death Eater mates – that drove you apart. Which was all damn well before you started dating Prongs."

Lily nodded slowly in resignation, then rested her head on her palms.

"And Snivellus didn't save my best friend's life," continued Sirius relentlessly, "He did_ you_ a favour, because_ you_ asked him."

"Okay, Sirius!" she said impatiently, holding up her hands.

Sirius smirked, then indicated her glass. "You're not drinking."

Lily sighed, then took a couple of sips.

He prepared himself another mimosa, then tilted his glass pensively. "Returning to the first of your three _inamorati_, Eddy – well, I suppose he's not _chronologically_ the first, but in terms of the recent state of your _affairs_ – oh no pun intended, just happy coincidence –"

"Get to it already, Black," said Lily wearily, then drained her glass, knowing she'd need the alcohol to deal with him without inflicting bodily harm.

"Well, a wizard from the French Ministry was here earlier. He had something for you – I believe it's over there, on that counter."

Lily stood and walked over to where Sirius had indicated, picking up a small package wrapped in white linen. She pulled the string that tied it together, and, unwrapping it, found her engagement ring inside.

"Well," she said, turning it over in her fingers. "I think I have Edouard's answer. He's still in this."

Sirius looked up. "Are you going to put it on?"

Lily twirled it between her finger tips. "Not sure yet."

_Pop!_

Marlene appeared in the kitchen next to Lily.

"Oh, there you are!" cried Lily, leaping to her feet to hug her friend, "I was worried!"

"Why, hello sweet tart," said Sirius, a mischievous smile spreading across his face. "Are you here to see your best friend or to make magic with me?"

"_Seriously_?" cried Lily.

"Both, if I time!" laughed Marlene in response, her dark eyes twinkling as she accepted the champagne flute Sirius offered her.

"You two disgust me," muttered Lily, holding out her glass for more as well. "Black, dating Marlene is definitely the worst thing you've ever done to me, and that includes the time you turned my cat into a warthog and it chased me across the Quidditch field."

"And just think, we have _you_ to thank for bringing us together!" murmured Sirius cheerfully, wrapping his arm around Marlene's waist as he refilled her glass without looking, spraying the countertop with juice.

Lily looked back at him meaningfully, but he was too busy staring at her friend to notice.

_Oh Merlin, his mouth is totally open. Bugger._

"Sirius," she hissed loudly.

"What?" he said, finally ripping his eyes off Marlene's body.

"Want to give us some girl time?"

Sirius' jaw clenched. "You seem to be kicking me out of a lot today. Hate to break it to you, but this time you're the third wheel."

Marlene stood and leaned over the counter, kissing Sirius on the cheek.

_Oh, ew._

"Okay I'll leave, just stop!" cried Lily, standing up hastily.

"No, no, hang on," said Marlene reluctantly. She kissed Sirius on the lips briefly, her eyes staring into his. "I'll come find you... later. Just give us a little while, okay?"

"Fine," he said with utter regret, his lips grazing hers again before he turned to leave.

"Stay sexy!" she called out to him as he passed through the doorway.

He winked back at her, then vanished.

After watching him leave, Marlene put her hands on her lips and turned to her friend. "Okay. I'm absolutely _dying_ to meet up with that bloke and do things that would be totally revolting to you if I told you what they were, so I love you but we're going to have to make this hen session a quickie."

Lily pursed her lips at her. "Please, don't delay the lip-locking on my account."

"I was thinking more along the lines of mattress mambo," murmured Marlene, eyes sparkling in anticipation.

"'_Mattress mambo_' – Merlin, you_ are_ just like him!" gasped Lily, "and that – that look going on in your eyes right now, it's got to go, it's seriously disgusting – like he's a piece of meat you can't wait to sink your teeth into!"

"He _is_ a piece of meat I'd like to –"

"Okay stop right there! I'd like to keep the mimosas _inside_ of me, if you don't mind."

Marlene sat on the counter in front of Lily and took her hands into hers. "We're not here to talk about me. This is about you. And like I said, we're going to do this fast, so bear with me. Do you, right now, miss Edouard so much you can't wait until you see him again?"

"It's not that simple –" started Lily, pulling her hands out of Marlene's grasp.

"Are you constantly worried about Edouard because it's so unsafe out there right now and anything could happen to him?"

"Marlene –"

Marlene reached for her hands again. "Well, have you been imagining your future together, where you'll live, what your life together will be like, whether there'll be babies?"

"Look, it's complicated –"

"I'm your best friend, and I know you." Marlene released her, and stared deep into her eyes. "The answer to those questions is no. It used to be yes, before the Welcoming Ball – before you and James were put into the same room again, before you both realised you would each risk your lives to save the other."

Lily sighed, looking away.

"I think you did love Edouard," Marlene continued, pouring Lily another drink. "I think you were very much in love with him, because he loved you and you wanted to be loved. But, come on dearie, you're smart. I think you know things have changed now. I just hope you realise that both you and Edouard deserve more than just to settle for what's left of your relationship after all that has happened – because you and I know that it's only a skeleton of what it used to be."

Marlene stood up again, put her arm around Lily. "I'm leaving now, but it's not because I want to sink my teeth into – er, excuse me, 'go see Sirius'... Lily, I think the issue here is that you don't want to give up on everything with Edouard because you hate failure, and you definitely won't admit defeat in front of me. I'm leaving so that you can think, think and maybe cry a little... and when you're ready, do come find me."

"Marlene, I-"

"Seriously. Sit here, and just... think. About why you're not letting this go. Or, think about the babies."

_Pop!_

Left alone, Lily leaned back to lie across several of the timeworn stools.

_I am not afraid of failure,_ she thought defensively, her eyes fixed on the beams on the ceiling. _I just avoid it as much as possible._

_And Edouard and I are not failing! __We've just had a lot to deal with recently._

Lily continued staring at the ceiling, then began wondering what was going on far above her head.

_I wonder if they're all overwhelming James. He isn't well and it may well be too much for him so soon after... what happened._

_Also, I need to talk to Dumbledore about the Order and make sure extra magical reinforcements are put on this house. I know that only certain people have 'permission,' so to speak, to pop in and out of here, but still... I want to make sure James is safe._

_We also need to get a Healer in here soon, to have a look at him._

_He's not going to appreciate the fuss, but I'll make him accept it, even if I have to force his mouth open to take the medication..._

Lily jolted to a sitting position.

_Oh my god._

_This is exactly what Marlene was talking about! I'm supposed to be here thinking about my relationship with Edouard, but that's not what is coming naturally to me, to my brain._

She poured herself another drink and gulped it down.

_Oh Merlin._

She let herself fall forward to rest against the counter, her forehead pressing into the cold wood.

_I never meant for this to happen. _

_But clearly, it has._

_CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!_

House-elves began materialising around her, practically flying to the many ovens and stoves.

Hardly noticing her, several of them set vegetables slicing in the air; it must have been the onions that were making her eyes water, Lily told herself.

But she knew there was simply no use putting off what she had to do next.

_I hope Edouard's home._

Sighing, she took out her wand.

_Pop!_

* * *

"Look, I'm fine, hands off!" James was muttering, inching towards the centre of the bed to get away from his own house-elves. He looked up and saw his best friend sauntering into the room, the corners of his mouth twitching as he took in the heavily populated bedroom. "Damn it Padfoot, stop laughing and tell them I'm fine!"

Sirius, smirking, beckoned to the house-elf. "Tessy, darling, your master is fine... Rosie, Minio, truly, don't worry yourselves -"

"We IS worried, master almost DIES!" responded the latter house-elf, before clutching at James' sleeve again.

"Well," began Sirius, "I certainly never thought you would be the one, Minio, to disappoint your master."

Minio shuddered slightly, then turned to James. "I d-disappoint master?"

All the other house-elves were turning their heads to listen to James' response.

_He's totally going to freak them out._

"Now, Sirius, they aren't -" began James, but Sirius cut him off.

"Yes, you are. Shame on you Minio, because your master needs you to tend to him and all you're doing is crying."

The house-elves dropped James' arm and turned to Sirius. "Tells us what to do!"

"Well," began Sirius, crossing his arms, "he's hungry and thirsty... and he expects you to take care of his guests, since he can't, and his guests are also hungry and thirsty! I think his guest would probably like... mmmm... cornish hens baked with the potatoes, you know, with the basil?"

"Yes, we knows!" Minio turned to the other house-elves. "To the kitchen!"

_CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!_

In a loud chorus of cracking sounds, the house-elves vacated the room.

_Oh blessed mercy. "_Thanks mate," murmured James, rubbing feeling back into his right arm. "Of course, with the way you just guilt-tripped them, they're probably going to work themselves into a cooking frenzy and prepare enough to feed a battalion."

"Hey, there are lots of us to feed," pointed out Sirius, turning to the other witches and wizards in the room, who had been standing to one side to let the house-elves have their moment with their master. "I assume you're all here on Dumbledore's orders?"

"That's right," said Fabian, the scar on his cheek stretching as he smiled grimly. "We were all at Hogwarts, waiting to receive word that all was well here. There are some things to discuss."

James nodded. "Yes, security arrangements and such, I suppose."

"Not quite," said Alice, stepping forward, her ash-gray hair trimmed poshly to a short crop. "We saw you at Snape's last night."

"We were keeping watch," explained Frank, continuing, "and we saw your group get there – Peter and Remus have filled us in with what happened."

"Well, fill me in too, then," said James in frustration, "I was as alert as a corpse last night."

The entire room winced.

_Okay, so maybe it's too soon to make dead jokes. _James turned to Sirius. "So, you went to Snivellus' slimy hole, and what else?"

"Well," began Sirius carefully, "it seems that Lily thought Snivellus' potion-brewing skills would be useful... and it turns out that they were."

"Yes, that much I've figured out on my own, thanks. What _else_?"

"Not much," said Sirius evasively, examining his fingernails. "We went to make sure she was okay, which she was -"

"Other than Snivellus licking her face, you mean," interjected Peter, snickering.

"WHAT?"

"Calm down Prongsy, it was just an accident," said Sirius soothingly, before turning to Peter and making a slicing movement across his throat that James didn't see. "She was talking and he walked into her or... something."

"Or he licked her face," repeated Peter mockingly.

"In any case," added Remus, stamping on Peter's foot, "she was fine and they had figured out a way to cure you, so we left them to it, and then Lily came and saved you. The end!"

James surveyed the grim looks on Gideon and Fabian's faces. "Other than the obvious Snape is gross thing, what's the problem?"

The brothers exchanged looks, then Gideon took a step forward, his small blue eyes completely devoid of humour. "Problem is – Snape's a known Death Eater."

James' eyebrows raised, thoughts racing.

"That's not exactly surprising," stated Sirius calmly, "he's worshipped the Dark Arts since Hogwarts, and I think we all suspected this at some level."

"We don't simply suspect now," said Alice severely. "It's been confirmed, beyond all doubt."

"Look, Kensington, this is a serious accusation, are you sure?" inquired James, his mind full of ideas and suspicious that he didn't date voice.

"As sure as my name isn't Kensington anymore."

"Wait, what?" cried Sirius clapping his hands together then turning to Frank. "Did you two-?"

"Yes," said Frank, trying not to smile but completely failing. "She's a Longbottom as of yesterday."

"Not normally something you'd brag about!" called Sirius, allowing himself a broad grin.

"Ah, jokes about the name," said Alice turning to Frank. "Told you!"

"Hell of a honeymoon you took her on," admonished Sirius, crossing his arms, "Snivellus' rancid hole of a neighbourhood, for Merlin's sake!"

"Right, now that we're back to that," muttered James, "what _exactly_ happened there?"

"Just what we said," said Remus calmly, "and they were already well on their way to preparing a cure."

"And that's the problem, isn't it?" asked James, rage and fear dawning on him.

_I'll kill him. I swear, I will._

"It is," said Frank simply. "Because how could he have figured out exactly what poison was used on you, James, when Marlene, Gaelor and Foftin couldn't even though they had the samples for two whole days?"

"I'll murder him!" growled Sirius, his eyes darker than James had every seen them. "I was just bloody elated that they had the cure!"

"What is going on?" asked Peter impatiently. "You've all been very upset about this when we were talking about it earlier, d'you mind actually telling me what is going on?"

"_He_ did it!" shouted James, fists clenched and jaw tight. "Snape! He was the one who poisoned Lily and tortured her for _months_!"

"James," began Sirius, his dark eyes igniting with fury, "he's the one who nearly killed _you_!"

Gideon sighed. "I hate to say it," he said reluctantly, "but there are other implications to all this."

_"She knew,"_ breathed James, horrified with every piece his brain was putting together. "Lily had to have known it was him!"

"Yes, she did," affirmed a voice from the doorway.

Marlene stepped into the room slowly.

"Did_ you_ know?" demanded Sirius, grabbing her by the shoulders.

"Oh, sod off," she said, pushing him away. "No, I didn't know before... I figured it out once we were at the house, following the same line of thought you've just discussed."

"Why the hell-"

"Didn't I say something?" said Marlene, finishing Sirius' question. "Because the point, may I remind you, was to _save James' life_. The only way to do that was to make Snape think we hadn't identified him."

"But_ afterwards_ –"

"Look, as far as I'm concerned this is between Snape and Lily," said Marlene slowly, "he did horrible things to her, but I'm guessing he did that to protect her–"

_"PROTECT HER?"_ bellowed James, apoplectic with an anger that threatened to consume him.

"Yes, protect her," murmured Marlene gently. "Remember, she's the only survivor from the people taken from the Welcome Ball... The only one we've ever gotten out alive. That can't be a coincidence."

"He tried to kill James!" shouted Sirius, his face staring at her incredulously.

_And that's the end of that couple,_ James thought as he watched his friend's growing anger.

"And then he saved him, at Lily's request!"

"I DON'T GIVE A DAM!" howled Sirius, his face livid with fury. "I say we round him up and turn him over to the Dementors immediately!"

"He's gone," said Alice, shaking her head. "He left right after Lily did. We don't think he'll return."

James turned back to Sirius, but his friend was still shouting at Marlene.

"How the hell could you keep something like this from me?"

"I was trying to –"

"You protected that bastard and now he's escaped!"

"I never meant –"

"This," growled Sirius, "is unforgivable!"

Marlene's eyes widened in shock as she understood his meaning. "Fine," she said quietly, her shoulder sagged in resignation. She turned to the others. "I'm leaving. Let me know what the Order's next step is, and I'll be there."

"There will be no 'next step' for you!" cried Sirius, "Your cover as a Death Eater is blown, Snape will have told them everything!"

"They already knew you and James weren't Death Eaters!"

"Yes, but they thought _you_ were one of them, they tattooed you and all!" cried Sirius, pointing at her forearm. "But now the Order's strategy is utterly ruined, thanks to you!"

"Now Sirius –" began Alice and Frank at the same time, but Marlene held up her hand to cut them off gently.

"No, it's okay," she said hoarsely. "I understand. I'll be at home – if you need me, you know where to find me."

_Pop!_

James watched Sirius stamp over to the window. A light rain had started outside, but James knew his friend wasn't observing the manor's grounds but rather seeking to avoid the eyes of everyone else in the crowded bedroom.

_Betrayed. That's how he feels._

Then, remembering the role Lily had played in it all, he felt a powerful pain in his chest.

_Betrayed. It's how I feel too, damn it._

_Pop!_

James looked over, and saw that the very witch that was the source of it all had Apparated in front of his bed.

* * *

Seeing Edouard had been unbelievably difficult. Confessing to him she no longer was able to marry him had been exquisitely painful, as had been witnessing the resigned dignity with which he received the ring she returned to his hand, the ring with which they had once sealed a promise to make a life together. She knew he wouldn't want her to linger after saying what she needed to say. She kept her words brief, kind but to the point, and then excused herself to avoid causing him further pain.

_And maybe to avoid causing me more as well._

Yet, as soon as Lily arrived in James' room and took in its bleak mood, she knew something much, much worse was about to happen.

_But I have to pull this trigger as well._

_Life is too short for dramatic pauses._

"What did I miss?" she asked finally.

"Oh, nothing," began Sirius in a nastily sarcastic tone, still staring outside, "it was the rest of us that missed you helping the hand that stabbed James in the back."

Lily's eyes widened as she understood his words. She looked at the others; only Remus met her gaze with kindness.

Her focus shifted to James last. He was staring back at her wordlessly, his lips pale from clenching his jaw.

_Fury._

She knew there was no point in defending her actions. While they were understandable, there was no way she could ever expect them to excuse her.

Lily looked at Sirius again, and noticed something that floored her. He was nudging at his eyes... because he was wiping away tears.

She glanced around the room again, and realised who was missing. "Where's Marlene?"

"She went home," hissed Sirius through clenched teeth, "she insisted on defending you and what you did... you should follow her example and go home yourself!"

Dread began to fill Lily. "She went home – by herself?"

"Yes, she's a grown witch you know!" growled Sirius, touching at his eyes again.

"You – you let her _leave?_" cried Lily, fear invading the pit of her stomach. "_How could you?_"

Sirius turned to face her. "What are you saying?"

"Don't you see?" Lily's eyes were wide, wide with horror. _"They know about her now!"_

Sirius read her worried face, understood her meaning, and pulled out his wand.

"NO PADFOOT!" bellowed James, leaping out of bed. His legs had recuperated surprisingly quickly; he was shocked to find that he could now walk.

_Pop!_

"Merlin!" cried James, too late to reach his best friend, _"WHERE IS MY WAND?"_

Lily reached into her robes, finding the wand she had kept since escaping from the Death Eaters.

"Don't you dare leave!" shouted James, knocking the wand out of her hands.

"But Marlene!"

"We'll go," said Edgar, indicating himself and the brothers. "You two still aren't well."

"We're coming too," stated Remus, meaning himself and Peter.

"As are we!" added Alice firmly, reaching for Frank's hand.

_Pop! Pop! Pop!_

Within moments, the seven of them had Disapparated into nothingness.

Lily turned to James, and saw that his face had become bloodless and pale.

"Please sit, James."

"Don't say another bloody word."

Shaking with a coldness that had nothing to do with the temperature, Lily let herself sink into a chair away from James' bed.

Wordlessly, he walked to his closet. He tossed his ruined garments aside and fitted himself with a proper set of robes, then sat down in one of the chairs.

_It's killing him that he didn't go._

_I definitely can't tell him where I've hidden his wand, not for a while._

_He's never going to forgive me for any of this anyway._

She realised she was scarcely daring to breathe. Her thoughts shifted to the real reason for her alarm, the real reason she was so afraid she couldn't stop shaking.

_Oh Marlene._

_Marlene, Marlene._

* * *

The seconds passed like hours; the minutes felt like days.

However, it was barely ten minutes before the group reappeared in James' bedroom.

Lily's first thought was a head count. Nine. All of them - Remus, Peter, and Edgar, Alice and Frank, Gideon and Fabian, and Sirius and Marlene - were there.

_Oh thank Merlin!_

Lily jumped to her feet and rushed to Sirius, who had Marlene in his arms, her robes covered in rain droplets.

"Marlene!"

Lily hurried to her friend, and then felt like a giant had punched her in the stomach.

Marlene's eyes, beautiful and darkened, were staring back at her, unseeing.

_No._

She reached out; her fingers touched the cold flesh of a cheek under which no pulse beat.

_No!_

Lily looked up at Sirius, her head shaking in denial.

"She's dead, Lily."

* * *

**A/N: **Be kind, review! I love hearing what you liked, didn't like, and receiving feedback! It also encourages me to update - here are responses to the reviews from the previous chapter:

**Anonymous reviewers:** Thank you, thank you so much for the encouragement! I've really appreciated it and I hope you like this chapter as well!

**Rudder:** Hey! It's not over, and I'm really glad you liked the last chapter, hope this one os good too. I can't tell you how happy I was to get your review, it was really nice and made me want to update! Unfortunately, I couldn't for a while (life's been complicated), but still, thanks :) And yeah, the L/S bickering is different, but for some reason, it's how I always pictured them - you know, Sirius being James' man, and then Lily comes along and changes it all... just like Lily eventually fell for James, Sirius and Lily eventually become friends, but I'm taking a little longer on that front than in the canon... it just feels right with how I've thought this story.

**myra:** haha I know, I took way too long for this! Life's been busy - living abroad right now - but I couldn't wait to put more ideas for this to paper. I'm happy you liked the last one, hope this one is good too!

**Amanda D:** Thanks for your reviews! I'm so glad you like my story, and yes, I'm working on finishing it soon :) Hope you like this chapter as well!

**tigerlily:** Thank you, thank you! Sorry for the kind-of cliffhanger, but it had to be done! :P

**bar-ba-loot suits:** I have been planning on continuing for a while, thanks so much for the encouragement :) Hope you like this chapter too, and thanks for the review!

**:** Hahahaha thanks for your review! Don't worry, James is a fave of mine, can't hurt him, he's already been through so much... and yeah, Snape's a total creep. Tragic story, tragic ending, makes me super sad and depressed when I think of him, but still, a creep :P Thanks for the review, and for encouraging me to get through to this next chapter!

**Anna:** Hehe the cliffhanger had to be done! I really hope you like this chapter too and that it was worth the wait... maybe? :)

**sjm95x:** Yeah, tell me about Lily's love life being complicated, I'm the one making it so lol! Trust me, it's necessary... and thank you very much for the review!

**KelliniPenguini:** Thank you for your very nice review! I really, really appreciate the encouragement, and I'm so happy you've liked my story so far! I hope you like this one too :)

**kiera:** Hahaha, you know you're the first person that noticed that? Yes, and also, since they're British... yeah, I know it's totally cliché, but oh well... :)

**xLycheeRAiN:** You're review made me so happy! Thank you so much for your kind and oh-so-motivating words :) Hope you had a great New Years too - sorry it's taken me this long to update!

**XXxGonnaRuleTheWorldOneDayxXX:** Thank you for the review! Oh, I know, I looove cliffhangers, they make writing so much more fun :) Hope you like this chapter!

**ana-12:** Thanks so much for the reviews and the kind words! Hope you like this one too - I'm really sorry to say this, but Merry (very, very belated) Christmas to you too :)

**booklover1998:** Thanks for the review, but 3 what?

**Alex42788:** Don't worry, I didn't! Thank you and I hope you like this one too!

**Adaira:** Hey thanks, it means a lot that you reviewed then! I know it took me a long time to update, but thank you so much for the encouragement, I really work hard to try to get the personalities the way I feel the book portrays them... with a few additions :) Thanks again, and I really hope you like this one too!

**isigirl:** Thanks for the review! I'm glad you've liked the story so far (and that you liked how I've portrayed Sev - it's hard to get him right!), it's really awesome when I find out someone new is reading! Thank you so much for the encouragement, and I hope you like this one too!

**jjack0310:** Hey there, thanks for the honest review - I really do appreciate you taking the time to write me and let me know of any issues. I think that one thing to keep in mind is that plots develop - but unlike a book, since fanfictions are works in progress, sometimes it takes many updates to see where it's going. Don't worry, I never intended James and Sirius to come off as unwitting - as you'll see in this chapter, for example!

**softasthunder:** Thank you! I'm sorry it's taken this long, but seriously appreciate the encouragement :)

**jmeec316:** Yay, a new reader! Thank you for your review, and I'm so sorry it's taken this long! I hope you like this chapter too :)

**books4evah:** Hehehe yeah - the plot thickens! Thanks for the review, feedback is so helpful! **:D**

**pervyprincess:** Haha yay, thanks for the review! it wasn't intended to be a cliffhanger, because he makes his way back to her, but hey if I can leave suspense that's better! Hope you like this chapter too!

**natusik23:** Hey thanks! That was really sweet of you to say, can't believe it :)

**Hoppipollamia:** Haha I know I tried to make it not-too-predictable, but OCs aren't as fun, so I was limited to the cast of characters! Still, not too many people got it, which is great because then it's more surprising - but I'm so happy that you liked their exchanges, they were difficult to write!

**Emma Riley:** Hey, I'm sorry I know it's been FOREVER. But here it is, finally :)

**Agnes Werneck:** Yay, thanks for the kind encouragement!

**PenguinBoxers:** Thank you, thank you! I tried to update as soon as possible, but since I moved to Spain I was kinda busy for a while - but I put myself on a deadline when I realized it had been so long! Thanks for the push!

**Seraph:** Yay! Thanks, I really appreciate it!

**owugirl110:** Hey, I know it's been a while, I'm sorry! I hope you like this chapter too!

**bluelover13:** Hahaha I know, but here I tried to shed some light on why they were together in the first place... anyway thanks so much for the review, much appreciated and please let me know what you think of this one, positive and negative feedback are both useful!

**Prongsie101:** Hehe I love your user name by the way :) Thanks for the review, I know, I'm totally desperate for them to be together too!

**Winged Flying Werewolf Girl:** Hahaha nooo can't kill James (yet? haha) but I'm glad it seemed like a possibility! Thanks for the review, hope you like this one too!

**SucksRoyalHippogriff:** Your. Review. Made. My. Day! So long and so encouragind! I'm really glad that you liked it, and thanks for the feedback on the Snape/Lily scene, that was very challenging to write! Hope you like this one as well!

**itxprincessxlala:** Ah, you picked up on the Beatles' songs thing :) I love that song too, so much, and it just seemed so fitting for this chapter! Thanks so much for the review and encouragement, and I'm really sorry that it's taken me this long!

**Akt5us**: Thanks! I know, it's crazy how long I've been plodding away at this thing, but I love every minute of writing, so maybe I'm putting off writing each chapter so that it doesn't have to be over? I don't know, but thanks so much for the kind words!

**Loslote:** Thanks for the kind words, I really appreciate it! :)

**Cora Jane Lee:** Hey thank you so much! But don't be so harsh on yourself, I'm sure your story is great too - if I have a chance I'll check it out! Hope you like this chapter too!

**NeverQuitDreaming:** Thank you! Really glad you liked it; and thanks for the awesome encouragement!

**WhiteCamelia:** Haha well, there may be some more surprises in store... ;)

**Grown Up Ron:** Hey, thanks for the brutal honestly - no but seriously, I really appreciated it because it gives me perspective and makes me consider the story I'm telling.. and I mean, I like my story, but I understood your criticism. So thank you, for taking the time to point out ways that you think my fic could be better!


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